Major-General Rogers Nicolas (Rtd.), the former Theatre Commander of Operation Lafia Dole, recently expressed concerns over the failure of local government leaders and traditional rulers in five council areas in Sokoto State where the terror group Lukarawa has been operating......See Full Story>>.....See Full Story>>
According to Nicolas, both the local government chairmen and the traditional leaders have failed in their responsibilities to ensure the safety and security of their communities.
Speaking in an interview on Arise TV on Friday, Nicolas pointed out that the local government authorities in these regions have resources such as vigilantes and local hunters to aid in gathering intelligence, yet they have not effectively utilized these assets to combat the growing threat. He emphasized that the lack of action from these local leaders in terms of intelligence gathering has been a major factor in allowing the terror group to operate unchecked for over six years.
“It is deeply troubling to hear that a terror group like Lukarawa has been active in our country for more than six years, and yet, this issue has not been adequately addressed. Five local governments are affected—what are the local government chairmen doing about it? These local governments have their own security setups—vigilantes and hunters—who should be actively gathering information and reporting it to the appropriate authorities,” Nicolas said.
He further criticized the local and traditional leadership for neglecting their duty to monitor and report on suspicious activities in their areas. According to him, the failure to do so has contributed to the lack of actionable intelligence, which in turn hampers the ability of the military and other security agencies to respond effectively.
Nicolas made it clear that security in the country should not be solely reliant on the military. He explained that while the military plays a critical role, it cannot perform its duties effectively without adequate intelligence from local sources. He called for local government officials and traditional rulers to be held accountable for their failure to act, suggesting that their negligence has delayed crucial information from reaching the authorities.
He also urged the locals to take responsibility, highlighting the important role that vigilantes and hunters play in gathering intelligence and ensuring the safety of their communities. “The people who live in these areas have a significant role to play. Whenever you visit these regions, you’ll find hunters and vigilantes, but what are they doing? Are they passing information to the authorities so that we can plan and execute our operations properly?” Nicolas asked.
In addition, the former Theatre Commander took aim at the local police in the affected areas, accusing them of failing to gather vital intelligence on the activities of the bandits operating within the region. He also lamented the porous nature of Nigeria’s borders, particularly in the Northeast, which he believes has contributed to the influx of terrorists and bandits into the country.
Nicolas concluded by reiterating that unless local government authorities and traditional leaders begin to take their security responsibilities seriously, Nigeria will continue to face significant challenges in addressing the growing threat of terror and banditry. The failure to act, he argued, compromises the safety of communities and undermines national security efforts.