PROFOUND MILITARY RESPONSETO THE

INSURGENCY IN NIGERIA

PRESENTED BY ITODO SIMON IKOOJOCOURSE OF STUDY: TERRORISM, INSURGENCY AND THE MEDIA (UN mandated UNIVERSITY OF PEACE COSTA RICA).

PROFOUND MILITARY RESPONSE TO THE INSURGENCY IN

NIGERIA

ITODO SIMON IKOOJO

TERRORISM, INSURGENCY AND THE MEDIA (UN mandated UNIVERSITY OF PEACE

COSTA RICA).

Introduction

The issue of insurgency in Nigeria has been a pain to Nigerians, Africans, and the Globe itself.

Over 3000 lives have been lost as a result of suicide bombings, and various form of coordinated

attacks. They include the increasing involvement of non-state actors, such as armed bandits,

insurgents and terrorist groups. In situations of armed conflict; cross-border terrorist violence;

and the hostile presence of terrorist groups in Nigeria territory without full control of the Joint

Military Task Force (JTF). At the same time, States have increasingly considered the use of the

joint military task force(JTF) in confronting terrorist groups abroad and, occasionally, Politicians

that harbor and sponsors them. Terrorism is a psychological weapon and is directed to create a

general climate of fear. As one definition cogently notes, "Terror is a natural phenomenon,

terrorism is the conscious exploitation of it. Terrorism utilizes violence to coerce governments

and their people by inducing fear.

Understanding this, authorities who undertake the challenge to combat terrorism must engage in

its own campaign of fear. With a definition of terrorism and idea of the nature of terrorism, the

final step in understanding the threat is to examine the goals of terrorism. Terrorists will

ultimately utilize any means from death threats to nuclear proliferation to meet their goals.

Governments must be prepared to deal with this threat and recognize terrorism for what it is; a

form of warfare.

Apart from having generated fierce debates about the efficacy of an armed response to the threat

of terrorism in Nigeria, this process has raised difficult issues regarding the legal acceptability of

such measures: namely, international law on the use of force( Geneva article 4 ), or seriously

restricts the ability of States to resort to armed force in their international relations, or collective

self-defence against an armed attack, or on the basis of a Nigeria Security communities, breach

to the peace of Nigeria, or act of aggression. Yet, since this legal paradigm has been developed

on the basis of the understanding of International Law and order, contemporary terrorist and

counter-terrorist violence do not fit easily within these traditional parameters.

This journal thus examines a profound military solution to the increasing rate of insurgency in

Nigeria. This journal considers the option of a multilateral employment of military force; counter

intelligence approach to prevent or to respond to acts of insurgency groups in Nigeria and looks

particularly at the Nigeria Security Council‟s gradual enlargement of the notion of threat to

international Peace within Africa and security with respect to international terrorism.

Other approaches are to examine the complex issue of a joint military response to insurgency

and terrorist threat. But for every coordinated military attack on insurgency group, the

fundamental human right of the citizen should not be gambled with. The military must

understand the Prohibition of the Use of Force, the United Nations Charter emphasizes that

peace is the fundamental aim of the contemporary international community, and is to be

preserved if at all cost. The preamble expresses a determination of the United Nations „to save

succeeding Generations from the scourge of war, hatred, tribal and religious conflicts‟, „to

practice tolerance and live together in peace with one another as good neighbours‟, ‘To unite

our strength to maintain international peace and security‟, and to ensure „that armed force

shall not be used, save in the common interest‟. Article 1(1) sets forth as the primary purpose of

the United Nations „To maintain international peace and security, and to that end: to take

effective collective measures for the prevention and removal of threats to the peace, and for the

suppression of acts of aggression or other breaches of the peace, and to bring about by peaceful

means, and in conformity with the principles of justice and international law, adjustment or

settlement of international disputes or situations which might lead to a breach of the peace.‟ The

Charter then goes on to set out two fundamental principles of the United Nations. First, Article

2(3) asks States to settle their international disputes by peaceful means. Second, Article 2(4)

makes it clear that: „All Members shall refrain in their international relations from the threat or

use of force against the territorial integrity or political independence of any State, or in any other

manner inconsistent with the Purposes of the United Nations.‟

This does not mean, of course, that Nigeria cannot be militarily present or active in another State

with that State‟s prior consent, the reason of carrying out counter-terrorist or counter-

insurgency operations along the common border of Nigeria, provided that such agreement does

not have as its explicit or implicit purpose or effect the political subordination or territorial

presence of Nigeria troops and occupation of the consenting state‟s territory , or is in any other

manner inconsistent with the purposes of the UN Charter. Thus, the effect of the provision of

Article 2(4) is all-encompassing: States are prohibited from using force in international relations

and from threatening others with the use of force in all but narrowly defined circumstances. The

Charter explicitly envisaged only two exceptions to this general prohibition: a) collective

military enforcement action taken or authorized by the UN Security Council in accordance with

Chapter VII; or b) the exercise of individual or collective self-defence as outlined in Article 51 of

the Charter. The legality of any military action in response to terrorism will, therefore, depend on

the applicability of either of these exceptions, to which I now turn.

COMBATING TERRORISM

Democratic forms of government undoubtedly face the most difficult task in confronting the

problem of combating terrorism. Authoritarian regimes have fewer limitations upon the means of

force particularly the military; they may employ to meet the terrorist threat. Democratic

governments, however face a much more complex dilemma in that they must not only protect

the populace and defeat the terrorist threat, but must preserve their democratic institution and

way of life as well in democratic governments. It is necessary to gain the support of the people

in order for any type of mobilization of forces to be conducted effectively. The government and

its people must have the means and resolve to use the necessary force to defeat any threat. This

is especially true when attempting to formulate a means to deal with terrorism as opposed to that

of a major conflict. The most important thing a government must do when confronted with

state sponsored terrorism is to realize that it is facing a military threat operating as a form

of war. Democratic governments normally have to resort to using diplomacy, economic

sanctions, social reforms and political pressures in resolving the problems of terrorism. As

proven in the past, the use of force has been an effective arbitrator. But just as in any armed

conflict, it is critical to know the enemies capabilities, weaknesses and objectives. This will

enable the government to adopt its own political and military objectives and methods to defeat

the threat. The democratic government, with the consent of the governed necessary, faces major

problems in gaining support for military actions in opposition to a perceived threat.

Fig 1: Demographic of knowing objectives of insurgences

TERRORIST TACTICS

The immediate objectives of any given terrorist attack are to attract attention to the group or

its cause(s), demonstrate the group's power, extract revenge, obtain logistical support, or

cause a government to overreact. Terrorist tactics and strategies are limited only by their

imagination. Just as a terrorist incident may have several objectives, the tactics used may also

be combined. The more common tactics employed by contemporary terrorist groups are:

Assassination: A euphemism for murder generally applied to the killing of prominent

persons and symbolic enemies as well as traitors who defect from the group. There are as

many variations to assassination techniques as there are ways to kill a human being.

These are one of the tactics this insurgency used in carrying out their attack. For example,

the assassination of the father in-law of Mohammed Yusuf (Late Boko Haram Leader)

after the visitation of former president of Nigeria (Chief Olusegun Obasanjo).

Arson: this is less dramatic than most tactics; arson has the advantage of low risk to the

perpetrator and requires only a low level of technical knowledge. This method has been

used in burning schools and government security offices.

The Improvised Explosive Device (IED): Is the contemporary terrorist's tactic of

choice which is used more frequently than other types of explosives. IEDs are

inexpensive to produce and, due to the various detonation techniques available, pose a

low risk to the perpetrator. Other advantages include their attention-getting capacity and

the ability to control casualties through time of detonation and placement of the device.

Two of America's most famous bombings, the World Trade Centre and the Federal

Building in Oklahoma, showed America how dramatic explosive devices could be. This

method has been used in bombing churches in Nigeria, police headquarters, universities

campus, viewing centres, market, media houses( Thisday newspaper Abuja) etc. Some

are mounted before explosion while some come through suicide bombing.

Hostage-taking: This usually is an overt seizure of one or more people with the intent of

gaining publicity or other concessions in return for release of the hostage(s). While

dramatic, hostage and hostage barricade situations are risky for the perpetrator when

executed in an unfriendly environment. Comparisons of how the environment affects the

outcome of hostage-taking situations may be made by comparing the seizure of the

Iranian Embassy in London in 1981 and with the seizure of the US Embassy in Teheran

in 1979. In the former incident, only one terrorist survived; in the latter, all of the hostage

takers survived. The last of this tactics was used in kidnapping some foreign nationals

(Italians, British Nationals) who were killed during their rescue mission by the JTF and

British Special Forces. It is sometime used in holding foreign expert- rates against their

will to demand for ransom. This method was mainly used by the Movement for the

emancipation of Niger Delta (MEND) insurgency group against the oil workers working

in that region.

Kidnapping: This form of tactics is similar to hostage-taking, kidnapping has

significant differences. Kidnapping is usually a covert action wherein the perpetrators

may not be known for sometimes. News media attention is usually less intense since the

event may extend over a prolonged period. Because of the time involved, a successful

kidnapping requires elaborate planning and logistics even though the risk to the terrorist

is less than in the hostage situation. Armed attacks on facilities are usually undertaken for

one of three purposes: to gain access to radio or television broadcast capabilities in order

to make a statement; to demonstrate the government's inability to secure critical facilities;

or for logistical purposes (for example, Bank or Armoury robbery).

Seizure: Similar to the hostage situation, the seizure usually involves a building or object

that has value in the eyes of the audience. Publicity is the principal objective. There is

some risk to the terrorist because security forces have time to react and may opt to use

force to resolve the incident since few or no innocent lives are involved. This sometimes

led to negotiation by the insurgents and the state.

Sabotage: The objective in most sabotage incidents is to demonstrate how vulnerable

society is to the terrorists' actions. Industrialized societies are more vulnerable to

sabotage than less highly developed societies. Utilities, Communications, and

Transportation systems are so interdependent that a serious disruption of any one affects

them all and gains immediate public attention. Sabotage of industrial or commercial

facilities is one means of identifying the target while making a statement of future intent.

Hijacking: Sometimes employed as a means for escape, hijacking is normally carried out

to produce a spectacular hostage situation. Although trains, buses, and ships have been

hijacked, aircraft are the preferred target because of their greater mobility and

vulnerability

Collective and joint Military approach against Terrorist:

The Nigeria Armed forces comprises of the air force, army and navy. Nigeria also have other

paramilitary agency which can also help and collective approach to insurgency which are Prisons

Service, Immigration Service, Customs Service, State Security Service, Nigerian Intelligence

Agency, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence corp. , Fire Service and the National Emergency

Management Authority. These organisation‟s have different roles in which when complemented

together can help to eliminate the increasing rate of insurgency in Nigeria. The Council is fully

empowered by the office of the NSA with every kind of threat that States may confront, even

with military force, if necessary, for the maintenance or restoration of international peace and

security (IPS).

By provision of UN charter Article 39, the Council is entrusted with the exclusive authority to

“Determine the existence of any threat to peace, breach of the peace or act of aggression” and

upon such determination to make recommendations or to decide what enforcement measures

shall be taken in accordance with UN Article 41 (measures short of armed force) and UN Article

42 that provides for the undertaking of military action: Under Charter Article 43, it was

envisaged that States would conclude agreements with the United Nations, enabling the Council

to require troops contributions to create and carry out military enforcement operations. It was

further envisaged that the strategic command of these operations was to be vested in the Military

Staff Committee, established under UN Charter Article 47. However, no such agreements have

ever been concluded due to the political climate of the Cold War confrontations, and the Military

Staff Committee never functioned as intended. Being unable directly to apply Article 42 of the

UN Charter for the lack of UN armed forces at its disposal, the Council cannot actually force

Member States to contribute troops to carry out military collective enforcement action, but it

may authorize them (individually or collectively) to do so.

After several attacks on the citizen of Nigeria, the Military community must go by the rapid

response tactics where by all intelligence report and security threat by this insurgents must be

taken and treated with all mode of seriousness to avoid attacks on the Nigerian people since it

has been observed that aliens from neighbouring countries such as Niger, Mali, Sudan also

participate in the attacks coordinated by the insurgents. A total overhaul of the Nigeria security

community should be done, as this is the first approach in which dedicated officers would be

made to take up the fight against insurgency. These includes the bad eggs with questionable

characters be evicted leaving those knows the path of honour to handle the affair of the National

Security. The Immigration Service and Customs Service must ensure that all aliens that are not

Nigerians should be deported back to their various countries, because the arms , man power,

equipments and tools are been smuggle into Nigerian through the porosity of the borders. Every

goods been brought into the country must go through a serious search not minding the names the

consignments are tagged with. So as to avoid the imports and shipment of weapons.

The Nigeria prisons: Must wake up from their slumber and show dedication to avoid

the frequent prison breaks coordinated by the insurgents to evacuate their foot soldiers

who were arrested at the cause of their attack on the Nigerian soverign state. Examples

of this are the Bauchi prison break, Koton Karfe prison break etc

The Nigeria intelligence: Intelligence is the first line of defence in a combating

terrorism program. A well planned, systematic, all source intelligence program is

essential. The role of intelligence in combating terrorism is to identify the threat and

provide timely threat intelligence. This includes evaluation of terrorist capabilities,

tactics, and targeting strategy, and the dissemination of this information. Information

gathering is of critical importance when conducting intelligence in combating terrorism

planning and operations. Consideration of this information within the context of the

social, economic, and political climate of an area provides a basis to determine the

terrorist threat to an installation or unit. The basic steps in the criminal intelligence

process are collating, evaluating, processing, and disseminating information‟s. All

possible sources are to include data archiving, criminal information, intelligence, and

human sources within the installation or unit will be used for collecting information

Community which comprises of the defence intelligence agency, Nigeria intelligence

agency and the state security service should take all security warnings, threats, and

security report serious so as to counter the intelligence of these insurgents. The Nigeria

intelligence agency should have a proper background check on all Nigerians travelling

outside the shores of the country especially those who travel to the Arab countries such

Yemen, Sudan, Mali, Libya, and Pakistan etc in the name of business trip, academic

learning or tourist visitation. We will begin with the premise that almost all ideologically

inspired terrorists are extremists of one type or another who believe that the use of any

means is justified by their particular ideological objective. In short, accepted norms of

behaviour are subordinated to the higher cause of reasons toward which the terrorist

strives. Extremists are, by their very nature, intolerant of beliefs which differ from their

own. We who are not extremists sometimes fail to realize the zeal with which extremists

hold to their beliefs, no matter how irrational they may seem to us. The “ True believer "

extremist has quite the same difficulty understanding why everyone does not believe as

he does, and by extension, tends to consider non-believers as enemies. There are no

neutral parties; therefore, no innocent victims. One is either for his cause or against it, a

friend or an enemy. It is this mentality which accounts for much of the behaviour that

non-extremists have difficulty comprehending. Not all extremists are terrorists, nor are all

terrorists‟ extremists, but the types overlaps to sufficient degree as to justify comment

and consideration. For the present, we will attempt to categorize terrorists and terrorist

movements by espoused motivation, always keeping in mind that the reason the terrorist

gives as justification for his activities may or may not have any bearing on his real

motivation.

The State Security: Should get a proper background checks of all suspected criminals,

insurgents, sponsors of this groups, and collate intelligence report from neighbouring

sisters organisations so as to track down these individuals that live within us. All reports

should not be swept under the carpets as a result of an individual who is considered a

Sacred Cow. The law and the peace of every country supersede us all.

The Nigerian Navy: Should try its possible way of preventing arms being smuggle

through the sea and also to maintain the standard of protection of our territorial waters

because most arms used by the MEND were smuggled through the Nigeria water ways.

The best of naval warfare should be used in ensuring that the water ways are safe. The

Navy should set up the coast guard so as to compliment their activities. The Navy is

becoming a multi-force reality, where different assets responding to different authorities

cooperate towards objective of the defending national interests. Defence against

terrorists, hijacks, pirates from sea has assumed great importance and is rather the most

challenging task of the maritime watch force. In such a hostile environment, the less

costly OPVs may be the inescapable imperative for the future. For smaller navies,

versatile OPVs can be the mainstay of their inventory. For larger navies, the OPVs are

the affordable extension in coverage of their duties.

The Nigerian Army: Should set up special units such as the Delta Force, Marines, Amphibian

soldiers, Seals, National Guard, Strike Forces, and Allied Forces etc. These soldiers should be

dedicated, loyal and are ready to pay the supreme price without any compromise. All combat

corps should provide their best men who should be trained as Elite soldiers. A functional

counter terrorism unit should be created with the best security gadgets, G.P.S devices, and

moral boasting equipments for officers and men, and refresher courses for members of the elites

force to equip the soldiers on the latest tactics and ways of combating this menace.

The Nigerian Air force: should maintain the air power standard by protecting the Nigeria

airspace and mounting air surveillance round the boarders , crisis inflicted states such as Yobe,

kaduna, Niger, Borno, Abuja, Gombe etc The latest of military airplanes should be purchase so

as to compliment the old airplanes we have on ground and these pilots should be given the best

training, the Nigeria Air Force Regiment Corp. should also train their soldiers are elites combat

fighters so as to compliment the army. The Air Force includes emergency preparedness (EP)

within the homeland operations umbrella. EP should includes those planning activities

undertaken to ensure DOD processes, procedures, and resources are in place to support the

President and the National Security Adviser (NSA) in a designated national security emergency.

This includes continuity of operations (COOP), continuity of government (COG) functions, and

the performance of threat assessments. Homeland operations routinely involve a unique

collection of federal, state, and local agencies, which present a number of challenges which is

Coordination. First, homeland operations are distinguished by reliance on coordination rather

than control. Second, the multiplicity of agencies and wide variety of potential types of

homeland operations make a common operational picture (COP) very difficult.

Conclusion

To end the increasing rate of insurgency in Nigeria, it should primarily be understood in a long-

term perspective, which demands a strict reconsideration of the relationship between the

increasing rate of insurgency groups and deep social inequalities such as poverty, economic,

religious, ethnic, social and cultural underdevelopment, democracy, and so on. Looking at it

through a military mode of operation, short-term approach and not the most effective in strategic

terms, or politically wise. That is why at this level of insurgency increase, the military force are

to be used only in the last resort and strictly within the limits of international law and strict

adherence to the fundamental rights of the insurgents, so as not to collide with the generally

accepted principles of the International system and condemnation of mode of operation by the

international community. International law on the use of force has been one of the greatest

achievements of the international community. The strength of every nation depends on its armed

forces and if its armed forces are weak the people wouldn‟t have confident in their national

security agencies. No blood of any individual is worth any cause of expression.

References:

Understanding and combating terrorism by Major S.M Cirass, U.S Marine Corp, part vi-

part 1

Intelligence in combating terrorism by U.S Army Intelligence Centre Sub-course, No IT-

0468 pg 1-9, pg 2-3

The right to self- defence under art 51 U.N- charter and international terrorism by

Christian Walter.

Military response to terrorism and the jus ad bellum.

Terrorism attack from the sea by Vice admiral Rajesha Nath.

Acronyms

MEND: Movement for the emancipation of Niger Delta

SSS: State Security Service

NIA: Nigeria Intelligence Agency

NEMA: National Emergency Management Agency

DIA: Defence Intelligence Agency

NSCDC: Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corp

NPS: Nigeria Prison Service

NCS: Nigeria Custom Service

NIS: Nigeria Immigration Service

NSA: National Security Adviser

PAC: Presidential Advisory Committee

NPF: Nigeria Police Force

IPS: International Peace and Security

UN: United Nation

OPV:

GPS: Global Positional Satellite

NAFRC: Nigeria Air force Regiment Corp

EP: Emergency Preparedness

COOP: Continuity of Operations

COG: Continuity of Government

COP: Common Operational Picture

MOD: Ministry of Defence

PROFOUND MILITARY RESPONSE

TO THE

INSURGENCY IN NIGERIA

PRESENTED BY ITODO SIMON IKOOJO

COURSE OF STUDY:

TERRORISM, INSURGENCY AND THE MEDIA (UN mandated UNIVERSITY OF PEACE COSTA RICA).