Terrorism in North-West driven by economic interests – Counter-Terrorism Centre
The federal government on Wednesday, October 28, 2026, clarified that terrorism in Nigeria, especially in the North-West, is being driven by economic interests rather than ideological beliefs.
The National Coordinator, National Counter-Terrorism Centre (NCTC), Major-General Adamu Laka, made the clarification in Abuja at a policy roundtable to curb the expansion of insurgencies in the North-West and North-Central parts of the country.
He said, “we keep on talking of ideology, ideology. What we have today is no more ideological terrorism; it’s more of economic terrorism. What is happening in the North-West is more economic than ideological.”
While saying that military operations alone would not resolve the security crisis, Laka said the need for a combination of military action and non-kinetic measures involving government agencies and other stakeholders, had become more imperative.
The National Counter-Terrorism Centre believes that kinetic efforts alone cannot solve the issue of insecurity. It has to be a mixture of both kinetic and non-kinetic,” he said.
The NCTC boss said the centre was pursuing a holistic approach to address the threats, pointing out that security agencies were recording successes through joint operations, including an operation conducted in Katsina state in September.
Laka said that continued collaboration among security agencies would help restore peace, stressing that focus was now more on the North-West and North-Central regions following improvements in the North-East.
“We’re making headway. There have been successes in various sectors. You can see the peace that is currently existing. There is a higher level of peace in the Northeast. We are facing the Northwest now, [as well as] the North-Central. We should just have more patience and more confidence.
“It’s something that is very dear to the President and Commander-in-Chief and the National Security Adviser, and we’ll do all our best to ensure that peace returns to Nigeria,” he said.
In his presentation, a senior researcher at the Bonn International Centre for Conflict Studies, Dr Oyewole Oginni, noted that armed groups in the North-West were increasingly building relationships with existing criminal networks to sustain their operations.
He said some groups negotiated with bandits, while others collaborated in kidnapping operations, including transferring abducted victims and sharing ransom proceeds.
The researcher pointed out that understanding the financial networks behind the violence was crucial to dismantling the groups.
He called on the necessary authorities to investigate the distribution of ransom proceeds, who supplied weapons to armed groups and the individuals benefiting from their activities.
Oginni further identified illegal mining, particularly in gold-producing areas, as a source of funding for armed groups, adding that some local residents were recruited to mine for them.
According to him, kidnapping had developed into an industry with many actors involved, as those collecting ransom payments were not necessarily the same individuals carrying out the abductions.
…Benue Police rescue 29 kidnap victims, arrest 34 foreigners
In a related development, the Benue State Police Command said it rescued 29 kidnapped victims, arrested 34 foreign nationals suspected of clandestine activities and apprehended 14 suspects in October 2026.
The Commissioner of Police, CP Cletus C. N. Nwadiogbu, who disclosed this Wednesday during a press briefing in Makurdi, said the police also arrested 16 Cameroonian nationals in Otukpo and 18 Nigerien nationals at Orokam for investigation into their immigration status and circumstances of the movement.
Nwadiogbu said seven locally fabricated firearms and 16 rounds of ammunition and cartridges were recovered during operations against suspected cultists and other criminal elements, while one suspected bandit was neutralised in an encounter with security operatives in Katsina-Ala local government area.
He added that the command arrested suspects in connection with alleged child abuse resulting in death, a fatal attack reportedly involving suspected cultists in Makurdi, and the alleged defilement of a 10-year-old girl in Ado local government area.
The CP said investigations into the cases were ongoing, adding that the command was collaborating with other security agencies, local vigilantes and community stakeholders to address security challenges across the state.
He urged residents to remain vigilant and provide credible information to security agencies, assuring them that the police would continue to protect lives and property and bring offenders to justice in accordance with the law. develop strategies to restore peace.
…GOC charges troops to justify pay rise through performance
Meanwhile, the General Officer Commanding (GOC) 1 Division of the Nigerian Army, Major-General Abubakar Sadique Muhammad Wase, has charged troops to justify the federal government’s recent pay rise through renewed dedication, professionalism and commitment to duty.
Wase, who is also the Commander of Sector 1, Operation FANSAN YAMMA, gave the charge Wednesday while addressing troops of the 171 Battalion in Daura, Katsina state.
A statement issued by the Deputy Director, Army Public Relations, 1 Division, Colonel Abubakar Abdullahi, quoted Wase as saying the improved remuneration reflected the government’s appreciation of the sacrifices made by military personnel in the service of the nation.
The GOC urged the troops to redouble their efforts, remain vigilant and ensure the protection of themselves, civilians and military equipment entrusted to their care.
“To whom much is given, much is expected,” he said, reminding the soldiers of the responsibility that came with the improved pay.
Wase assured the troops that the division remained committed to addressing their administrative and logistical challenges to improve operational efficiency.
He said efforts were ongoing to ensure that personnel deployed in the field received adequate support to carry out their assignments effectively.
The GOC also met with members of the Nigerian Army Soldiers’ Wives Association, whom he described as important pillars of support for military personnel.
He commended the women for their endurance and urged them to continue supporting and comforting their husbands, noting that stability at home contributed to troops’ morale and operational efficiency. (Blueprint)
