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🇳🇬 Nigeria /Disasters & Emergencies

Oyo kidnap rescue tactics can’t always work in North, says ex-DSS ADG

From The Punch · () English

Translated from English, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Named sources Context piece
  • A former Nigerian intelligence chief explained why successful kidnapping rescue tactics in Oyo State cannot be universally applied across the country.
  • Mohammed Ngoshe cited varying operational dynamics, political considerations, and trust deficits as reasons for differing outcomes in northern states compared to the Oriire abduction.
  • He also attributed recurring violence in Plateau State to community retaliatory attacks and defended the need for secrecy in security operations.

A former Nigerian intelligence chief has detailed why the successful rescue of abducted pupils and teachers in Oyo State cannot be easily replicated in other parts of the country, particularly in northern regions.

Nigerians, please, you should learn to trust your servicemen. These people are working hard and they are achieving successes in their own way.

— Mohammed NgosheAddressing the public's trust in security services and their successes.

Mohammed Ngoshe, a retired Assistant Director-General of the Department of State Services, explained that each security operation has unique dynamics. He pointed to differing political considerations and the specific circumstances that led to the Oriire abduction, which contrast with situations in areas like Borno. Ngoshe, who hails from Gwoza, noted that many people from his community remain in captivity, highlighting the distinct challenges faced.

Every case, every security operation, has its own dynamics. What happened in Oriire might not be the same as what is happening in Borno.

— Mohammed NgosheExplaining the differences in operational circumstances between various kidnapping cases.

Ngoshe also addressed the persistent violence in Plateau State, attributing it largely to a cycle of retaliatory attacks between communities. He stated that attacks on one ethnic group inevitably provoke counter-attacks from that group, creating a continuous loop of conflict. This contrasts with the more targeted, intelligence-driven operation that led to the Oyo rescue.

The problem in Plateau, if you look at it critically, has a lot to do with retaliatory attacks.

— Mohammed NgosheAnalyzing the root causes of recurring violence in Plateau State.

Defending the limited public disclosure surrounding the Oriire operation, Ngoshe emphasized that security operations require discretion and cannot be conducted openly. He dismissed criticisms over the lack of transparency, asserting that such operations are not meant for public consumption through media channels. He also urged Nigerians to trust their security services, stating that many potential negative operations are foiled before they occur.

It is not an operation that is supposed to be carried out on the pages of newspapers or on the radio or television stations.

— Mohammed NgosheJustifying the need for secrecy in security operations.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by The Punch in English. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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