Terrorism festers when those equipped with power to crush it fail in their responsibility. We commend President Bola Tinubu’s renewed fight against criminals who rule the jungles and highways, spilling blood and spreading fear all over the country with his order to his military chiefs to relocate to the hot spots.

The North-West Geo Political Zone has become a den of bandits who have declared war on education by abducting school children and their teachers without let.

These criminals are making huge profits through payment of ransom. However, the military has recently gained a number of successes over these non-state actors, prompting the president to not only acknowledge this but also promise to continue to support them.

Troops of Operation Hadarin Daji, had last Thursday, neutralised a wanted bandit leader, Halilu Sububu, who had been unleashing terror on citizens in Zamfara, Sokoto, and other parts of the North-west.

The troops also killed another terrorist, Sani Wala Burki, in a joint operation in Katsina State, and busted a terrorist enclave in Kaduna, where 13 kidnapped students were freed.

According to a statement issued by the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Mr Bayo Onanuga, the successful operations followed the President’s directive to the service chiefs to relocate to the zone until normalcy is restored.

Tinubu said the success of the operations was an indication that Nigeria’s security operatives were up to the task of ensuring the peace and security of the nation. We are encouraged by the fact that some governors have also woken up from their slumber.

Uba Sani of Kaduna State, which has been so troubled by insecurity, has closed the chapter of paying money to free abductees. His Zamfara State counterpart, Dauda Lawal, is also on the same page. The President has shown that, this time, he means business. He had threatened fire and brimstone in the past.

We recall that in September 2023, at the Passing Out Parade (POP) of cadets of the 70th Regular Course of the Nigerian Defence Academy, Kaduna, he assured, through Vice President Kashim Shettima, that insurgents would be defeated.

In January 2024, Tinubu promised to wipe out Boko Haram. The occasion was the presentation of a book on his predecessor, President Muhammadu Buhari.

Troops of Operation Hadarin Daji had, last Thursday, neutralised a wanted bandit leader, Halilu Sububu, who had been unleashing terror on citizens in Zamfara, Sokoto, and other parts of the North West in opposition during the Dr. Goodluck Jonathan presidency and differed with him on the method adopted to fight Boko Haram. It is remarkable that today, the trio remain the best of friends. Jonathan resorted to the use of foreign mercenaries in the North-East and it worked. By March 2015, Boko Haram found their usual terrain too hot to hibernate.

Calm was restored to a large extent in the region until the next dispensation. Terrorists who have refused to dialogue with the government deserve heavy firepower. The kidnappers are more interested in ransom than reason. There is only one Federal Government in Nigeria. This is time for Tinubu to play his role as Commander-in-Chief.

This fight needs new tactics. Now is the time to localise the Nigeria Police Force. State Police would be in a better position to deal with some of the nascent security threats.

Tinubu should empower the police with sophisticated weapons to match the criminals. The Nigeria Army must return to their former position of respect.

The Police must be allowed to play their constitutional role. It is only when the police, backed with the necessary weapons, fail to crush internal crises, that the Armed Forces should be invited. Government cannot crush terrorists with outdated intelligence.

The killing of 17 officers and men in Okuama, Delta State exposed this. Perhaps, if enough scrutiny had been carried out before that mission, it would have ended differently. During the Civil War, Benjamin Adekunle’s Third Marine Commandos knew next to nothing about the sea and creeks.

Smart officers like Godwin Alabi-Isama and Alani Akinrinade devised means to ensure that Operation Tiger Claw succeeded. Alabi-Isama, in particular, relied so much on Isaac Boro and the Niger Delta Volunteer Forces to master the terrain.

The Nigerian officer was smart. He stooped to conquer. Of the Niger Delta fighters, Boro, Nottingham Dick, George Amangala and Boardman Nyanayo, were university graduates.

Alabi-Isama did not put on airs with his rank, when a man like Sam Owonaro could walk through obstacles, alien to Pakistan Military Academy training. The result was victory for the Marine Commandos.

We commend Tinubu’s political will to battle terrorism headlong. From East to the West, North to South. There must be no consideration of religious or ethnic sentiments. The common target is to wipe out criminals. (New Telegraph Editorial)