Nigeria’s security agencies have intensified coordinated operations against armed groups across several parts of the country, signalling what officials describe as a more decisive phase in the fight against terrorism and organised criminal violence.
In the past week alone, separate but related security actions have been reported in Borno State, Plateau State and Kogi State, involving the military, the police, and intelligence services working in close coordination.
Security sources say the operations reflect a clear directive from President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for tighter inter-agency collaboration, faster response times, and a more aggressive posture against groups threatening national security.
Air power and ground coordination in Kogi.
In Kogi State, forested areas long believed to provide cover for armed bandits were targeted in a joint operation involving the Nigeria Police Force Air Wing and ground forces drawn from multiple security services.
Precision airstrikes were used to dislodge fighters from dense terrain, followed by coordinated movements on the ground to prevent escape and dismantle logistics routes.
Police officials say scores of suspected bandits were killed during the operation, with several camps destroyed and weapons seized.
While independent casualty figures are difficult to verify, analysts say the use of police air assets alongside military-style operations marks an important shift.
Traditionally, airstrikes have been the preserve of the armed forces.
The increasing operational role of the police air wing suggests a deliberate effort to blur rigid institutional lines in favour of effectiveness, particularly in regions where criminal groups exploit gaps between agencies.
Borno: sustained pressure on insurgents.
Further northeast, in Borno State, the epicentre of Nigeria’s long-running insurgency, the military has continued sustained operations against extremist groups. Security briefings indicate that recent offensives have focused on disrupting supply chains, targeting commanders, and denying insurgents freedom of movement in rural and semi-urban areas.
Although the conflict in Borno has entered its second decade, officials argue that the current phase is different in tone. Rather than large-scale, episodic offensives, the emphasis is on constant pressure, intelligence-driven strikes, and rapid exploitation of actionable information.
Military sources say this approach is designed to prevent armed groups from regrouping after setbacks — a pattern that has previously prolonged the conflict.
Plateau: abducted students rescued.
In a separate but related development, operatives of the Department of State Services rescued abducted students in Plateau State on Saturday, following a swift intelligence-led operation.
The students, who had been taken during an earlier attack, were freed without loss of life, according to officials familiar with the operation. The rescue has been widely welcomed, particularly in a country where mass abductions have become a defining feature of the security crisis.
For many observers, the operation underscores the value of intelligence coordination and speed. Rather than prolonged negotiations or delayed action, the DSS intervention relied on tracking, surveillance, and rapid deployment — a model security analysts say could be replicated elsewhere.
A shift driven from the top.
What links the operations in Borno, Plateau and Kogi is a clear political signal from the Presidency.
Since taking office, President Tinubu has repeatedly emphasised the need for security agencies to work as a single ecosystem rather than isolated silos.
Senior officials say the current operations reflect that instruction in practice: shared intelligence, joint planning, and mutual operational support between the military, police, and intelligence services.
“The message is simple,” said a security analyst in Abuja. “No agency can claim ownership of national security. The threats are complex, and the response must be collective.”
This approach also appears to extend to the use of assets.
The deployment of police air power in Kogi, alongside military-style ground tactics, suggests a willingness to adapt tools to threats rather than adhere rigidly to institutional traditions.
Public confidence and hard questions.
For communities affected by violence, the recent operations offer cautious optimism.
In areas long terrorised by bandits and insurgents, the visible presence of coordinated security action can restore a measure of confidence.
However, analysts warn that tactical successes must translate into sustained stability.
Clearing forests and rescuing abductees, they argue, is only part of the equation.
Holding territory, protecting civilians, and addressing the economic and social conditions that allow armed groups to recruit remain critical challenges.
There are also calls for transparency.
While security agencies are understandably cautious about operational details, civil society groups argue that regular, credible briefings are essential to maintaining public trust and countering misinformation.
A decisive moment?
For now, the government is projecting confidence. Officials describe the recent spate of operations as evidence that Nigeria’s security architecture is becoming more coherent and responsive.
Whether this marks a decisive turning point will depend on what follows. Sustained pressure, consistent coordination, and measurable improvements in safety on the ground will be the true test.
What is clear is that the tone has shifted. From Borno’s long battlefields to Plateau’s rescue operations and the forests of Kogi, Nigeria’s security agencies are moving in concert — and under clear direction from the highest level — in a renewed assault on those who profit from fear and instability.
Headlinenews.news Security correspondent.
Nigeria’s security agencies say a renewed push against armed groups is beginning to yield results, following a joint operation in forested parts of Kogi State that left scores of suspected bandits dead.
The operation, led by the Nigeria Police Force Air Wing in collaboration with the Nigerian Armed Forces, involved targeted aerial strikes and coordinated ground movements aimed at dismantling entrenched criminal camps. Security officials say the strikes flushed fighters out of dense cover, disrupted their logistics, and significantly weakened their operational capacity.
The latest action forms part of a broader counterterrorism drive ordered by Bola Ahmed Tinubu, who has directed closer inter-agency cooperation and more proactive use of intelligence-led operations. Analysts note that the emphasis on joint air and ground missions marks a shift toward a more assertive strategy in tackling insecurity across the country.
Dr. Fraser. MFR
The National Patriots.
For full report, details, updates on counterterrorism, visit: www.headlinenews.news
