By 𝔸bdulrazak Tomiwa

Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) General Olufemi Oluyede has called for Borno and Yobe residents to lead the fight against insurgency, highlighting concerns over internal collaboration. This shift focuses on community-driven efforts alongside military action to defeat Boko Haram and ISWAP.

The CDS met for four hours in Maiduguri with top officials, including Chief of Army Staff Lt.-Gen. Waidi Shuaibu and Theatre Commander Maj.-Gen. Abdulsalam Abubakar, to refine their strategy.

Oluyede noted that “intelligence reports indicate that many of those responsible for attacks over the past 15 years originate from the same communities bearing the brunt of the violence,” emphasizing how local ties aid insurgents.

He cited a Kukawa incident where “troops discovered wounded terrorists hiding within the community during post-attack clearance operations,” illustrating the difficulty in separating civilians from collaborators.

To counter these threats, Oluyede announced that the military is utilizing “the deployment of advanced drone systems to enhance surveillance, targeting, and battlefield coordination.”