APC Chieftain Advocates for New Counter-Insurgency Strategy Following Senior Officer Fatalities

Professor Haruna Yerima, a leader within the All Progressives Congress (APC), has voiced strong disapproval over the recent spate of terrorist attacks that resulted in the loss of Brigadier General Oseni Braimoh, along with soldiers and other civilians across various parts of the nation.

He indicated that these resurgent attacks are undoing the progress previously achieved by the Nigerian Armed Forces in their campaign against insurgency.

Speaking to reporters in Abuja on Sunday, the former member of the House of Representatives highlighted that the killing of Brig. Gen. Braimoh, who commanded the 29 Task Force Brigade under Operation HADIN KAI, during an assault by Boko Haram/ISWAP elements on a military installation in Borno State, constitutes a significant setback for the counter-terrorism efforts.

"I firmly believe it's imperative for the military leadership to alter their strategies in counter-terrorism operations. The terrorists have adopted a singular tactic – ambushes – to target our high-ranking officers. We must devise methods to counteract this," Yerima stated.

Yerima also made mention of the prior incident where Brig. Gen. M. Uba, the former commander of the 25 Task Force Brigade in Damboa, was killed after being intercepted along the Damboa–Biu road.

He advocated for a thorough re-evaluation of Nigeria’s counter-insurgency doctrine to enhance the protection of senior officials, military personnel, and the general populace against evolving threats.

According to Yerima, while the military has secured considerable victories in recent years, recent assaults on forward operating bases, ambushes of military convoys, and the expansion of conflict zones have diminished these achievements.

The APC chieftain urged the Armed Forces to bolster their intelligence- gathering capabilities, integrate modern technology, and improve their human intelligence network to effectively combat groups such as Boko Haram/ISWAP, the Lakurawa and Mamuda networks, IPOB-associated violence, bandit syndicates, and communal clashes occurring in parts of the North-Central region.

He cautioned that the current coordinated assaults by non-state actors throughout the country present a grave challenge to the nation's sovereignty.