By Joe Udo
ABUJA (CONVERSEER) – The Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA), headed by Nuhu Ribadu, has confirmed that it provides arms to vigilante elements to support Nigeria’s security forces in countering terrorism, banditry and other criminal activities, particularly in difficult terrains.
The clarification followed media reports surrounding an incident in Kwara State, where a rifle reportedly issued by ONSA was recovered. In a statement, the Head of Strategic Communications at the National Counter Terrorism Centre (NCTC), Mr Abu Michael, said the intervention was lawful and formed part of Nigeria’s broader counter-terrorism strategy.
Mr Michael explained that, pursuant to Part III, Sections 4, 5 and 6 of the Terrorism Prevention and Prohibition Act, 2022, the NCTC under ONSA coordinates and supports law enforcement, security and intelligence agencies in combating terrorism nationwide.
He noted that Nigeria’s counter-terrorism operations adopt a hybrid approach under the National Counter Terrorism Strategy (NACTEST), combining regular security forces with trained irregular auxiliaries such as hunters and vigilante elements. According to him, this model is designed to enhance operational effectiveness in forested and hard-to-reach areas.
“This approach previously guided the engagement of the Civilian Joint Task Force in the North East, where trained civilian volunteers worked alongside the Armed Forces against Boko Haram,” Mr Michael said. “The same strategy now informs hybrid deployments in parts of the North West and North Central, with measurable success against banditry and terrorism.”
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Addressing the Kwara State situation, he stressed that the state was not an exception to the strategy, but maintained that some media reports were inaccurate. He said limited public information was intentional due to the sensitive nature of ongoing operations and the need to protect personnel and auxiliary forces from exposure.
Mr Michael dismissed claims that ONSA was conducting kinetic operations with socio-cultural groups, describing such reports as false and misleading. He emphasised that all auxiliary personnel involved in hybrid operations were recruited directly by authorised security and intelligence agencies after due diligence.
“For the avoidance of doubt, the Federal Government and its agencies are not conducting kinetic operations with any socio-cultural organisation,” he stated. “Claims that ONSA has provided arms to such groups should be disregarded.”
He added that all operations were conducted strictly in line with the law and established standard operating procedures, urging the public to ignore unverified reports that misrepresent Nigeria’s counter-terrorism efforts.
The NCTC spokesperson also called on the media to act responsibly, safeguard sensitive security information, and seek clarification through designated official channels. He assured stakeholders of the Centre’s commitment to transparency and continued engagement to improve understanding of Nigeria’s counter-terrorism framework.
