Rescues without answers
The Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) has been playing not just a central coordinating role in Nigeria’s counterterrorism efforts but has also been pivotal in several high-profile backchannel negotiations with bandits to rescue abducted Nigerians.
For example, when Government Girls’ Comprehensive Secondary School, Maga, Kebbi State, was raided by bandits on November 17, 2025, abducting 24 female students from the school, the ONSA’s tactical team reportedly reached the bandits’ hideout by November 25, leading to the safe release of all the 24 girls.
On November 21, 2025, armed bandits stormed St Mary’s Catholic School, Papiri, Niger State (303 students + 12 teachers), with about 50 students escaping their grip. By December 8, 2025, the ONSA-endorsed joint security operations resulted in the rescue of 100 children, leaving the 150+ schoolchildren and teachers still in the hands of the bandits.
On November 19, 2025, gunmen attacked Christ Apostolic Church, Oke Igan, Eruku, Kwara State during a vigil, killing three worshippers and abducting 38 others, mostly women and children, demanding N100 million per person. The ONSA, coordinating a multi-agency response, released all the 38 unharmed by November 23, 2025.
Like all well-meaning Nigerians, we are grateful that the captives are being released, especially innocent schoolgirls and worshippers. But we are worried about the veil of secrecy on the terms reached between officials of the ONSA and the bandits before the release. The opaque nature of the negotiations breeds doubt among citizens, as terrorists and bandits historically have patterns and precedents of ransom demands. Therefore, like other Nigerians, we demand answers; after all, the ONSA is accountable to the citizens whose commonwealth funds its operations.
In this vein, Nigerians need to know the terms of the release of the hostages. Was any ransom made? Where are the bandits who abducted these citizens after the release? Where are their arms and ammunitions, their motorcycles or vehicles used in their operations? Was any non-monetary concessions or bargains like “safe passage or exchange of items” involved? Was any attempt made to arrest the abductors?
Daily Trust believes it is a disservice to victims when government embraces a go- and-sin-no-more negotiating position with armed gangs who gleefully invade an institution or community, desecrate and devastate it, killing whoever stands in their way and forcefully denying citizens their freedom. We also believe that any negotiation that allows bandits or terrorists to keep their weapons after abducting innocent citizens must stop as it would amount to terrorism financing through the backdoor. Such bare-faced defiance of the national security apparatus is a sure propaganda recruitment tool.
Also, we restate that this path to envisaged safety and a policy to stabilise our communities is not working. Worst, it could be an indirect enabler of violence. The way for lasting peace is to make any perpetrator of kidnapping or other crimes to face the full wrath of the law as this ensures that they are never again in a position to contemplate such acts. This also sends out the message that Nigeria does not tolerate any attempt to breach the peace without consequences.
We hasten to add that the veil of secrecy to the negotiations and release also fuels public reliance on media leaks and speculation. It would not be out of place for the ONSA to have post-operation disclosures, which could be redacted for sensitivity, if necessary. It would undoubtedly boost citizens’ confidence in the operations of the defence and security forces.
We also believe the prioritisation of narrative control over disclosure because of the usual security risks involved have bred lack of transparency. It could only but send the unintended message of being soft with impunity.
We also note that while the ONSA is not legally mandated to directly conduct rescue operations for kidnapped victims, it has thrust itself into it through a broad interpretation of the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act of 2022, which designates it as the coordinating body for counterterrorism efforts, including through the National Counterterrorism Centre (NCTC).
While the office is charged with providing leadership, strategic guidance and support to security, intelligence, law enforcement and military agencies, no Nigerian law explicitly mandates the ONSA to carry out operational rescue by itself. It is a coordinative, not operational base. Ordinarily, rescue operations for kidnappings fall on the army or any other branch of the military, the police as primary law enforcement responders and the State Security Service (SSS) for intelligence-driven internal security threats.
In order not to be distracted, we affirm that the ONSA primarily relies on its mandate as specified by the National Security Agencies Act of 1986, which established the position of coordinator on National Security (now ONSA) with the mandate to advise the president on national security intelligence matters; coordinating intelligence activities among agencies – the SSS, National Intelligence Agency (NIA), and Defence Intelligence Agency (DIA); correlating and evaluating reports and making recommendations to the president.
This is very important as the National Security Adviser, beyond serving as the president’s chief adviser on national security, has his role extending beyond military affairs to foreign policy and intelligence coordination on internal and international fronts.
We affirm that the country will be best served if the direct executions of operational mandates are left in the hands of agencies best trained for it. After all, the ONSA has no standing defence or security forces directly under its command. The office would be more effective if it concentrates on the provision of optimal intelligence for all operations and guarantee that all military communications and data remain secure and out of the hands of our adversaries.
Again, Daily Trust insists that this proclivity to negotiate emboldens bandits and terrorists. We cannot continue this trajectory as it seemingly encourages them to pick up the next batch of abductees. They are dishonourable criminals who can’t keep their word.
The country’s defence and security forces have the capacity and capability to engage them in their violence and defeat them. This explains the imperative for traditional lead agencies to be in charge of rescue operations as originally intended. After all, the seeming continued slap on the wrist the terror kidnappers have been getting has not yielded the desired fruits of ending the abductions or killings.
There is, therefore, an urgent need to end the activities of these undesirable elements as they are a major a threat to Nigeria’s long-term security, stability and development.
It is time to discontinue the current negotiating route. And because it gives the impression that abductors of innocent Nigerians are getting kid gloves, there is no better season to start hammering them with the might of Nigeria’s arsenals than now. Our citizens in the unholy hands of horror kidnappers must be rescued unharmed and their ability to conduct another raid stopped.