- Gen. Musa emphasized that the military has not considered abandoning the non-kinetic approach
The Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), Gen. Christopher Musa, reassured the public that the military remains steadfast in utilizing the non-kinetic approach to address insecurity challenges in the country. Gen. Musa emphasized that the military has not considered abandoning the non-kinetic approach, which includes hard and soft power strategies, to counter insurgency operations and adapt to the evolving nature of adversaries.
Speaking at the opening session of a national security course on “Psychological Operations and Strategic Communication (PSYOPS),” organized by the Defence Intelligence Agency (DIA), Gen. Musa clarified the military’s stance. The theme of the course is “Winning Hearts and Minds for National Cohesion and Development.”
Represented by Rear Adm. Daupreye Matthew, Director of Training, Defence Headquarters, Gen. Musa highlighted the success of non-kinetic efforts, citing Operation Safe Corridor, which led to the surrender of over 2,000 Boko Haram members between 2016 and 2017. He noted that 67% of those who surrendered belonged to the Abubakar Shekau faction.
Gen. Musa provided statistics on the impact of non-kinetic approaches, stating that from July 2021 to May 4, 2022, 51,828 terrorists and their family members surrendered, with 13,360 identified as fighters. In total, 106,000 terrorists and their family members have surrendered in the North East.
The Chief of Defence Intelligence (CDI), Maj. Gen. Emmanuel Undiandeye explained that the national security course aimed to enhance security experts’ understanding of the dynamics of psychological operations and strategic communication.