The Chief of Defence Staff, Gen. Christopher Musa, has advocated for the use of the non-kinetic approach in the ongoing fight against criminality in the country.
According to him, no fewer than 2,000 Boko Haram terrorists, through a non-kinetic approach, surrendered to the troops in the height of insurgency in the country.
Musa spoke while delivering a lecture at the opening of the National Security Course on `Psychological Operations and Strategic Communication in Abuja on Monday.
Represented by the Director of Training, Defence Headquarters, Rear Adm. Daupreye Matthew, Musa, however, said the military has up-scaled the use of hard and soft power in counter-insurgency operations to contain emerging and changing nature of adversaries.
He said, “The use of non-kinetic efforts under Operation Safe Corridor led to the surrender of more than 2,000 Boko Haram members between 2016 and 2017. 67 per cent of those who surrendered were of the Abubakar Shekau faction of the insurgents.
“Also, 1,543 repentant terrorists graduated from Mallam Sidi Camp in Gombe State and 1,935 were released from Bulumkutu camp in Borno between 2016 and 2022.
“From July 2021 to May 4, 2022, alone, no fewer than 51,828 terrorists and their family members surrendered, out of which 13,360 were fighters.
“So far, 106,000 terrorists and their family members have surrendered in the North East.”
He also advocated for individual case management, referral services, community-based peacebuilding, reconciliation, and reintegration to combat insecurity in the country.
The Chief of Defence Intelligence, Maj.-Gen. Emmanuel Undiandeye, said that the 5-day programme was to boost security experts’ understanding of the dynamics of psychological operations and strategic communication.
Undiandeye described psychological operation and strategic communication as an integral element of modern warfare but was widely neglected by communication science despite its importance.
According to him, it is now used not only to manipulate an enemy’s will to fight but also to influence public opinion.
He said the employment of strategic communication influences operations and non-kinetic tools to win hearts and minds and enhance national security and cohesion.
