Freed Oyo pupils and their teacher
Ultimately, military action alone cannot defeat terrorism. None of the essential elements of an effective counterterrorism strategy can succeed in isolation. Political will, capable security institutions, timely intelligence, community support, good governance and sustained efforts to counter violent extremist ideology must reinforce one another. Counterterrorism is not won by a single operation. It is won by building institutions that consistently produce successful operations.
Several months ago, I argued that one of the surest ways to degrade terrorist organisations is to deny them time and space. Terrorist groups thrive when they regroup after setbacks, rebuild their logistics, reconnect with their support networks and resume operations at a time of their choosing. Sustained pressure, driven by credible intelligence and backed by coordinated security operations, leaves little room for such recovery. The Oyo operation lends further weight to that argument.
Available accounts of the rescue of abducted schoolchildren and their teachers from Ansaru terrorists point to an operation that achieved more than the safe return of innocent victims. If those accounts are accurate, the operation offers valuable lessons for Nigeria’s counterterrorism campaign at a time when the country continues to confront multiple security threats across different theatres. More importantly, it shows that success in counterterrorism efforts is rarely accidental. It is usually the product of political direction, timely intelligence and sustained inter-agency cooperation.
