The Special Adviser to President Bola Tinubu on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, has explained why the Nigerian military was able to swiftly respond to the recent unrest in Benin Republic but has struggled to end insecurity within Nigeria.
Speaking in an interview on Monday, Onanuga said operations against bandits and terrorists in Nigeria are fundamentally different from confronting a conventional army.
According to him, bandits and terrorists often use innocent Nigerians as human shields, making direct military action more complicated.
He noted that most attacks involve the kidnapping of soft targets, requiring extreme caution to avoid harming abductees.
“I think it’s a different ball game altogether. The internal one is more of an asymmetric war. Our military has been saying this, but people don’t seem to understand what it means,” he said.
Using Benin Republic as an example, Onanuga explained that the attackers there targeted a military base, allowing for a coordinated and precise response from Nigerian forces.
“Unlike here, where bandits and terrorists are holding people as shields. They are always kidnapping soft targets. You have to be very careful not to bomb those they are holding as collateral,” he added.
He likened the situation to the US experience in Afghanistan, saying even advanced militaries struggle to combat guerrilla-style fighters.
“These are like guerrillas. Even the almighty America couldn’t easily track down guerrillas in Afghanistan. It’s not easy,” he said.
Onanuga, however, expressed optimism that the government is determined to find lasting solutions, saying efforts are underway to bring banditry and terrorism to an end “in a very short time.”