‘Operation Kosaye’, a coordinated security initiative driven by the NSA and IGP, is commendable, writes
ADEDAMOLA OGUNYEMI
Nigeria’s security crisis has evolved into one of the gravest challenges confronting the nation since after the civil war ended in 1970. What began two decades ago as an extremist religious uprising in Borno State under the dreaded Boko Haram sect has, over the years, metastasized into a frightening web of insecurity. Today, the country contends with insurgency, terrorism, kidnapping, banditry, armed robbery and a growing network of violent criminal groups operating across virtually every geopolitical zone.
Perhaps the most disturbing aspect of this evolution is that regions once regarded as relatively peaceful are no longer immune. The Southwest, long considered one of Nigeria’s safest regions, has increasingly come under siege. Kidnappings along major highways, attacks on farming communities and criminal incursions into forest reserves have become recurring nightmares. States like Kwara and Oyo have witnessed disturbing security breaches, while neighbouring Kogi, Benue and Taraba continue to battle relentless attacks by armed criminal gangs.
Against this gloomy backdrop, last week’s dramatic rescue of five kidnapped victims at the Ogbere axis of the Sagamu-Benin Expressway offers some hope to Nigerians.
The incident itself was tragically familiar. Armed kidnappers emerged from the thick forest bordering the expressway, opened fire indiscriminately at moving vehicles, caused multiple collisions and abducted five innocent travellers. Like countless other victims before them, they were marched deep into the forest where ransom negotiations began almost immediately.
The criminals demanded between N40 million and N50 million from each captive and threatened death should their families fail to comply. Ordinarily, Nigerians have sadly become accustomed to such horrifying stories ending differently. Victims often spend weeks or months in captivity. Families sell property, borrow heavily or exhaust life savings to pay ransoms. Some victims never return alive.
But this time, something changed. Within twenty-four hours, the Nigeria Police Force successfully located the kidnappers’ hideout, rescued all five victims alive, neutralised four kidnappers in a fierce gun battle while another escaped with gunshot wounds in a new offensive against insecurity. Four additional suspected kidnappers were arrested during follow-up operations, alongside scores of other criminal suspects.
This was no ordinary rescue operation.
It was the first major public demonstration of “Operation Kosaye” which literally means “No Place for Criminals”, a coordinated security initiative jointly driven by the Office of the National Security Adviser (NSA), Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, himself a retired police officer and the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) under Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Mr. Tunji Disu.
Importantly, this successful new offensive under reference is a demonstration of what is possible when intelligence, coordination, technology and operational capacity work together under a unified command structure. For years, one recurring criticism of Nigeria’s security architecture has been poor inter-agency collaboration. Intelligence was often compartmentalised. Agencies worked in silos. Valuable information sometimes failed to reach those who needed it most. The Office of the National Security Adviser was created precisely to prevent such fragmentation. Its statutory responsibility extends beyond advising the President. It serves as the nation’s principal coordinating institution, ensuring that intelligence gathered by various security agencies is harmonised, analysed and deployed effectively against emerging threats. The success recorded at Ogbere illustrates the enormous value of that coordinating role.
Under Mallam Nuhu Ribadu’s leadership, the NSA’s office has increasingly focused on improving intelligence sharing, operational synergy and strategic collaboration among security agencies. That coordination, working seamlessly with the operational leadership of the Inspector-General of Police, translated intelligence into swift action.
Rather than allowing kidnappers days or weeks to disappear into vast forests, security forces moved rapidly, deployed technology including drones, tracked the criminals and mounted a rescue operation that not only saved lives but eliminated key members of the gang. This is precisely how modern security operations are expected to function.
Indeed, Operation Kosaye appears to represent more than just another police exercise. It signals an evolving doctrine that recognises criminals do not respect state boundaries. Kidnappers exploit jurisdictional limitations, moving freely across state lines while security agencies struggle with fragmented responses. Operation Kosaye directly addresses this weakness. By integrating Lagos and Ogun commands into one operational framework, supported by the strategic coordination of the NSA’s office, criminals are denied the luxury of exploiting administrative boundaries.
Equally commendable is the emphasis on technology. The use of drones to establish precise coordinates of the kidnappers’ location significantly improved operational efficiency while reducing risks to the hostages. This reflects the changing face of policing globally. Today’s battle against organised crime is increasingly intelligence-driven rather than manpower-driven. Technology, surveillance, data analytics, aerial reconnaissance and rapid communication now constitute the backbone of effective security operations. Nigeria cannot afford to remain behind.
Another striking feature of the operation is the speed of response. In security management, time is often the difference between life and death. The longer kidnappers retain custody of victims, the more complicated rescue operations become. Criminals disperse, relocate hostages or fortify their hideouts. The rescue of all five victims within twenty-four hours demonstrates what efficient intelligence coordination and decisive leadership can achieve.
Equally remarkable were the testimonies of the rescued victims themselves. Many openly admitted they had previously criticised the Nigeria Police. After experiencing first-hand the courage displayed by officers who entered dense forests under heavy gunfire to rescue complete strangers, they publicly changed their perception. One victim described the rescue as something he never imagined possible in Nigeria. Another prayed that stray bullets would never meet the officers wherever they went. Perhaps most emotional was the testimony of Mrs. Blessing Nsofor, herself nursing a bullet wound while anxiously awaiting news of her kidnapped daughter. She confessed that she had once been among those who regularly criticised the police. Following the rescue, she publicly declared she would now give the officers “100 per cent.”
Such testimonies carry profound significance. Public confidence remains one of the strongest weapons any security agency can possess. Communities are more willing to share intelligence when they trust security agencies. Citizens cooperate more readily when they believe their information will produce results. Successful operations, therefore, generate a positive cycle of increasing public confidence, improved intelligence gathering and even greater operational success.
However, one successful operation should not breed complacency. Rather, it should become a template for nationwide replication. The forests across many parts of Nigeria continue to provide safe havens for criminal gangs. Vast ungoverned spaces remain attractive to kidnappers, bandits and terrorists. The recommendations made by the rescued victims deserve serious consideration. Permanent security checkpoints should be strengthened along vulnerable highway corridors. Forest reserves bordering major roads should be systematically monitored, mapped and where necessary cleared.
Local communities must be integrated into intelligence networks since they possess invaluable knowledge of the terrain. Technology deployment must also continue expanding. Above all, the strategic coordination being provided by the Office of the National Security Adviser must receive sustained institutional support.
No single agency can defeat today’s complex criminal networks operating across multiple states. Success depends upon intelligence fusion, inter-agency trust, logistical support, political will and unified operational command. The partnership now emerging between the NSA’s office and the Inspector-General of Police provides an encouraging model. Rather than competing for recognition, institutions are increasingly combining comparative advantages toward achieving a common objective which is making Nigeria safer. That collaborative spirit deserves commendation. It deserves greater investment. And it deserves replication across all regions confronting similar security threats.
Operation Kosaye may still be in its infancy, but its first major success has already sent a powerful message. There can indeed be “no place for criminals” when intelligence is shared promptly, technology is effectively deployed, leadership is decisive and security agencies operate as one.
Ogunyemi, a security strategist and consultant, writes from Abuja
