The Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), Gen. Christopher Musa, says the Nigerian Armed Forces have continued utilising its non-kinetic operations to win the ongoing war against insurgency.

Mr Musa said this at the opening of the Non-Kinetic Operations Coordination Course (NKOCC-3) organised by the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPSS) and Peace Building Development Consult on Monday in Abuja.

The CDS, represented by the deputy director of peacekeeping operations at the Defence Headquarters, Raymond Utsaha, delivered a paper titled, understanding Non-Kinetic Operations and Non-Kinetic Capabilities for Irregular Warfare’’.

He believes non-kinetic actions like quick-impact projects, free medical outreaches, educational support services, specific image-building activities, and other related actions have been effective.

“The conduct of these actions would have been fruitful in forestalling some violent activities, socioeconomic crises, ethno-religious, or other forms of politically induced violence amongst others.

“Thus, inadequate attention accorded conduct of non-kinetic operations by the various civil security agencies in Nigeria arises as a challenge associated with the employment of non-kinetic operations to defeat irregular warfare.

“The socioeconomic conditions of the populace are characterised by a high level of illiteracy and poverty, which makes them vulnerable and substantial to radicalisation.

“This development constitutes some form of challenges to government efforts in exploiting the option of non-kinetic operations to ensure national peace and security,’’ he said.

The defence chief said the moral level in society had given rise to youths vulnerable to anti-peaceful activities.

He identifies high levels of illiteracy coupled with poverty and reckless social lifestyle like consumption of illicit drugs, excessive alcoholism and other psychoactive substances as the root causes of violent extremism.

“This development constitutes some form of challenge to government efforts in exploiting the option of non-kinetic oppression to ensure national peace and security.

“This development forms the basis for the increase in crime rates and other forms of threats to security in the country.

“These include the rise in militancy, banditry, kidnapping, and terrorism, amongst other criminalities that typify crimes of violent conflict.

“Thus, poor socioeconomic structures remain a challenge to the employment of non-kinetic oppressions in defeating irregular warfare in Nigeria,’’ he added.

Mr Musa said some of the insurgents’ collaborators had formed themselves into various human rights groups, activists and social media influencers to turn the public against the military and other security agencies.

He also alleged that some media outlets derive pleasure in announcing the killing by insurgents, thereby weakening the fate of the citizens on government security agencies.

According to him, this further heightens civilians’ doubts about the government’s ability to protect them.

“These actions by such negative media outlets could lead to a loss of confidence and low self-esteem amongst the troops, other security agencies, as well as various stakeholders in the security architecture of a nation.

“The resultant effect is that the government security agencies will start losing public sympathy, thereby making it difficult for them to utilise the capabilities of non-kinetic operations to defeat the threats of irregular warfare in Nigeria,’’ he said.

On his part, Garba Malumfashi, a senior fellow at NIPSS, said the idea was to re-evaluate the significance of a non-kinetic approach to the nation’s security management.

Mr Malumfashi added that the national security strategy had underscored the significance of the application of a non-kinetic approach in counter-insurgency operations as experienced in the North-East, North-West, and Niger Delta.

(NAN)