The Nigerian Army, often described as the nation’s ‘foot soldiers of stability,’ concluded a pivotal year in 2025. Faced with a complex and persistent matrix of security threats—from insurgency and banditry to kidnapping and communal violence—the Army’s operational performance offers a critical lens through which to assess the state of national security. This analysis moves beyond raw statistics to examine the strategic shifts, tactical innovations, and enduring challenges that defined the Army’s campaign to safeguard lives and defend Nigeria’s territorial integrity.
Under the leadership of the Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lt.-Gen. Waidi Shuaibu, the Army pursued a multi-domain strategy. This approach emphasized not just kinetic force, but a blend of tactical innovation, enhanced joint operations, and strengthened civil-military relations. In his year-end address, Shuaibu characterized 2025 as “eventful, demanding and operationally rewarding,” a testament to the gallantry of personnel operating across diverse and challenging theatres.
Operational Tempo in a Multi-Front Conflict
Nigeria’s security landscape in 2025 remained dangerously fluid. The Army was tasked with a simultaneous, multi-regional fight:
- North-East: Containing remnants of Boko Haram and ISIS-West Africa (ISWAP) cells, which had adapted to a strategy of sporadic, high-impact attacks and guerrilla tactics.
- North-West & North-Central: Combating rampant banditry, a complex criminal enterprise involving kidnapping for ransom, cattle rustling, and village raids that has devastated local economies and displaced thousands.
- South-East & South-South: Managing separatist agitation and persistent communal clashes, which required a different operational posture focused on policing and confidence-building.
In response, the Army sustained a high operational tempo. The creation and empowerment of joint task forces, such as Operation Hadin Kai (North-East) and Operation Hadarin Daji (North-West), were central to this effort. These commands fostered coordination not just within the Army, but crucially with the Nigerian Air Force, Navy, and other security agencies, creating a more unified front against adversaries who do not respect service boundaries.
Quantifying the Gains: A Data-Driven Overview
The Director of Defence Media Operations, Maj.-Gen. Michael Onoja, provided compelling data that underscores the scale of Army operations in 2025:
- 4,375 arrests of terrorists and suspects, alongside 1,616 surrenders (including family members), indicating significant pressure on insurgent networks and potential fissures within their ranks.
- 2,336 kidnapped civilians rescued nationwide, a direct humanitarian outcome of offensive operations.
- In the North-West alone, the 8 Division rescued 1,023 victims and disrupted numerous terror cells, including plots targeting the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.
- Material gains were substantial: 189 AK-47 rifles recovered, 4,338 rounds of ammunition seized, 305 attack motorcycles captured, and 4,123 stolen livestock returned to communities.
- In the Niger Delta, Operation Delta Safe destroyed 503 illegal refining sites, striking at the financial lifeblood of criminality and environmental degradation.
These figures represent more than tactical wins; they signify the reclamation of physical and psychological space from non-state actors. Operations deep into former strongholds like the Sambisa Forest and the dismantling of IED networks directly degraded enemy safe havens and offensive capacity.
The Synergy Factor: Joint Operations as a Force Multiplier
A defining evolution in 2025 was the deepened emphasis on jointness. The synergy between ground troops and Nigerian Air Force surveillance and strike assets transformed operations. Air intelligence allowed for precision in ground manoeuvres, leading to more effective raids and fewer civilian casualties. This interoperability, long advocated by defence analysts, proved critical in tackling mobile bandit groups in the vast terrain of the North-West and in tracking terrorist movements in the North-East. The lesson was clear: in modern asymmetric warfare, no single service can succeed alone.
The Non-Kinetic Campaign: Winning Trust and Upholding Rights
Military leadership consistently stressed that success is not measured by enemy neutralization alone. A parallel, non-kinetic campaign focused on Civil-Military Cooperation (CIMIC) was intensified. Through medical outreach, infrastructure projects, and community dialogue in conflict zones, the Army worked to rebuild the social contract. This serves a dual purpose: it humanizes the military in the eyes of civilians and, pragmatically, improves local intelligence flow, undermining the community-level support networks upon which insurgents and bandits rely.
Concurrently, the Army reiterated its commitment to international humanitarian law and human rights protocols. In a theatre where allegations of abuses can fuel resentment and recruitment for armed groups, this focus on professional conduct is a strategic imperative, not just a legal one.
Foundations of Success: Modernization, Training, and Political Will
The operational gains of 2025 were built on critical foundational pillars:
- Government Support: At the Chief of Army Staff Annual Conference, President Bola Tinubu, represented by Vice-President Kashim Shettima, reaffirmed commitment to funding and equipping the military. This translated into the procurement of mine-resistant vehicles, refurbished armour, and other critical assets.
- Modernization: The continued expansion of the Nigerian Army Aviation Unit provided unprecedented mobility and logistical support in inaccessible terrain, a game-changer for rapid response.
- Training & Innovation: Investment in realistic simulations, leadership courses, and specialist training (e.g., counter-IED, cyber warfare) aimed to produce a more agile, thinking soldier capable of adapting to evolving threats.
Persistent Challenges and the Strategic Road Ahead
Despite the gains, analysts caution against premature declaration of victory. The threats are adaptive and deeply rooted in socio-economic grievances like poverty, unemployment, and weak governance. While the Army can create security space, lasting peace requires complementary efforts in governance, development, and justice. The fluid nature of banditry, the ideological persistence of terrorism, and the proliferation of small arms present enduring challenges.
Conclusion: The Path Forward
The Nigerian Army’s performance in 2025 demonstrated significant resilience and operational capability. By blending kinetic pressure with joint operations and community engagement, it achieved measurable gains in security and humanitarian terms. However, the title “foot soldiers of stability” carries a profound responsibility. True stability will only be cemented when military progress is irrevocably linked with a whole-of-government strategy that addresses the root causes of conflict. The Army has held the line; the task ahead is for the nation to build upon it.
(Analysis based on reporting by Sumaila Ogbaje, NAN, and supplemented with strategic context)
