Nigerian Army Chief Reaffirms Intelligence-Led Strategy Against Evolving Security Threats

By Zainab Uzomah

The Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Waidi Shaibu, has restated the Nigerian Army’s commitment to a technology-enabled, intelligence-driven approach in confronting asymmetric threats nationwide.

In a statement signed by Colonel Appolonia Anele, Acting Director of Army Public Relations, the Army Chief said the shift in Nigeria’s security environment mirrors global trends in which traditional warfare has given way to complex conflicts waged by non-state actors, including terrorists, insurgents, bandits, cybercriminals and transnational organised crime networks.

He noted that the Army had recalibrated its doctrine and operational posture under a multi-domain strategy that fuses kinetic operations with intelligence integration, inter-agency cooperation, joint operations with sister services and international partnerships. This approach, he said, was essential to countering adversaries who rely on adaptability, anonymity and the deliberate targeting of civilians.

Operations across the country, he added, have been shaped by regional threat patterns. In the North-East, counter-insurgency efforts continue to degrade terrorist capabilities through intelligence-led strikes and stabilisation measures. Joint operations in the North-West have disrupted bandit logistics and financing channels, while stabilisation efforts in the North-Central focus on protecting civilians and containing communal and militia violence.

Lieutenant General Shaibu said improvements in technology, training and jointness were strengthening operational effectiveness, adding that national security now encompasses economic stability, cyber resilience, environmental safety and broader human security. He urged National Defence College participants to adopt integrated, forward-looking frameworks that address both immediate threats and their underlying causes.

He reaffirmed the Army’s resolve to defend national sovereignty, protect citizens and secure critical infrastructure as security threats continue to evolve.