Former Director of Army Public Relations, Sani Usman, has urged the Federal Government to leverage modern technology in tackling terrorism and banditry across Nigeria.
Usman made the recommendation during an appearance on Sunday Politics, a current affairs programme aired on Channels Television, where he discussed the importance of intelligence in the country’s counter-terrorism efforts.
Speaking during the interview, the retired military officer emphasised that integrating advanced technology into security operations would strengthen intelligence gathering and improve the fight against terrorism and other forms of violent crime.
According to him: “All the leadership of the banditry and the kingpins of terrorists, if you look at their history, they have exhibited some form of violent extremism right from the beginning, or they have this tendency of criminality over time, and the system was unable to check them too.
“Technology helps in the sense that even if a criminal has a tendency of committing crime, the system will eventually catch up with him.
“And somehow people will have a second thought because you know that you can’t hide; there is a limit to which you can hide because you can’t go far.”
BACKSTORY:
Nigeria has battled terrorism, banditry, kidnapping, and other violent crimes for more than a decade, with insecurity posing significant challenges to national stability and development. The insurgency led by Boko Haram and its splinter group, the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP), has primarily affected the North-East, while armed bandit groups have carried out attacks, mass abductions, and cattle rustling across several North-West and North-Central states.
In response, successive Nigerian governments have launched numerous military operations and invested in strengthening the country’s security architecture. Despite these efforts, attacks on communities, highways, schools, and security personnel have continued, prompting renewed calls for more effective strategies to address the evolving security threats.
Security experts and retired military officers have increasingly advocated the use of advanced technology—including drones, satellite surveillance, artificial intelligence, electronic monitoring systems, and real-time intelligence sharing—to improve intelligence gathering, border security, and rapid response capabilities. They argue that modern security challenges require technology-driven solutions alongside conventional military operations.
Sani Usman, a retired Brigadier General and former Director of Army Public Relations, has consistently spoken on national security issues since leaving office. His latest remarks add to the ongoing debate on how Nigeria can strengthen its counter-terrorism strategy by combining military operations with modern technology, intelligence-led policing, and greater collaboration among security agencies.
