The Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), Oluyede, has called for improved cooperation between the various branches of the Nigerian military to effectively tackle national security threats.
Speaking at the Naval Staff annual retreat in Abuja, the military chief stated that joint operations remain the foundation for neutralising criminal networks, insurgency, and asymmetric threats.
Oluyede noted that the evolving nature of modern defence requires the Army, Navy, and Air Force to work in unison across the country’s diverse terrains.
The call for synergy comes as Nigeria faces a complex array of security challenges, including banditry in the northwest, insurgency in the northeast, and maritime insecurity in the Niger Delta and Gulf of Guinea. The CDS’s remarks suggest that the current security landscape requires a more integrated approach where intelligence and tactical support are shared seamlessly across services to prevent criminals from exploiting jurisdictional gaps.
Coordinated response to asymmetric threats
The military chief explained that asymmetric warfare, where non-state actors use unconventional tactics, necessitates a unified response. Because these groups often move between land and water, or exploit gaps between aerial and ground surveillance, a siloed approach by any single service is no longer sufficient to maintain national stability.
By strengthening inter-service synergy, the military aims to ensure that land forces receive immediate air support, and naval operations are better coordinated with intelligence gathered from ground troops. This level of integration is intended to close the operational gaps that criminal networks currently exploit to move weapons and personnel across state and maritime borders.
The Naval Staff retreat, held in the capital, provides a venue for senior officers to refine maritime strategies. However, Oluyede’s address highlights that naval success is deeply connected to the capabilities of other branches, particularly in securing riverine areas that serve as transit points for illegal activities and kidnapping operations.
The emphasis on joint operations also focuses on improving intelligence-led strikes. For the military to effectively dismantle highly mobile criminal networks, there must be a more efficient way to share real-time data between the different service commands. This would allow for faster deployment of resources to hotspots of violence.
Military officials are expected to evaluate current operational protocols to implement these calls for better synergy. The immediate next step will likely involve more frequent joint training exercises and the development of shared communication frameworks to ensure a more cohesive response to emerging security crises.
Explore more News stories from Business Elites Africa.
