By Sunday John
Doma (Nasarawa State), Dec. 21, 2025
The Commander of the Nigerian Army’s 4 Special Forces Command in Doma, Nasarawa State, Major-General Olurotimi Azubuike-Awolo, has issued a compelling call for a more profound and operational synergy among the nation’s security agencies. This collaborative push is aimed at decisively confronting the multifaceted insecurity plaguing the North-Central region and fostering sustainable peaceful coexistence.
Speaking at the 2025 West African Social Activities (WASA) event in Doma, Maj.-Gen. Azubuike-Awolo emphasized that the complex security challenges—including terrorism, banditry, kidnapping, and communal conflicts—cannot be unilaterally solved by the army. “The army alone cannot tackle the complex security challenges in the region,” he stated, underscoring a critical shift in counter-insurgency doctrine from isolated operations to integrated, intelligence-driven campaigns.
This call for collaboration is not merely rhetorical but addresses a well-documented operational gap. Effective inter-agency cooperation allows for the leveraging of distinct strengths: the police’s local intelligence networks, the Department of State Services’ (DSS) investigative capabilities, the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps’ (NSCDC) critical infrastructure protection, and the military’s kinetic force. Together, they can create a seamless cycle of intelligence gathering, analysis, and targeted offensive actions against criminal networks.
“Collaboration will enable the security agencies to leverage each other’s strengths to enhance intelligence gathering and launch precise offensive attacks on criminals,” Azubuike-Awolo explained. “This is fundamental to promoting and sustaining peace and stability in the region and the country in general.”
The Commander reported that his command, in line with the Chief of Army Staff’s command philosophy, had recorded significant achievements in 2025 through existing collaborative frameworks like Operation Whirl Stroke (OPWS). OPWS is a pivotal multi-agency security task force specifically deployed to address herdsmen-farmer clashes and banditry in the North-Central states. He commended the troops for their professionalism and confirmed the completion of all annual training schedules, which bolstered operational readiness and troop morale despite challenges.
“We have made remarkable improvements in our operational and administrative performances, especially in areas bordering on training and other requisite interventions,” he added, highlighting that covert and overt joint operations had been conducted across various theatres.
Nasarawa State Governor, Abdullahi Sule, represented by the Commissioner for Security and Sundry Matters, Mr. Usman Baba, echoed the necessity of this unified approach. He attributed the state’s relative peace to the relentless efforts of the army and sister agencies and pledged continued government support in the form of operational vehicles and logistics. This government backing is crucial, as resource constraints often hinder seamless joint operations.
The WASA event itself, an age-long army tradition, served as a symbolic backdrop for this message of unity. The ceremony, designed to foster camaraderie among officers, soldiers, their families, and the civilian community, featured cultural displays, a tug-of-war, and awards for distinguished personnel. It underscored the human element behind the security apparatus and the importance of community trust—a vital, non-kinetic component of comprehensive security.
Ultimately, this high-level appeal signals a strategic recognition that defeating asymmetric threats in the North-Central region requires breaking down institutional silos. The path to lasting security lies not in isolated victories, but in a permanently integrated, intelligence-sharing, and jointly executing security architecture that presents a unified front against all forms of criminality.
Edited by Polycarp Auta
