A retired Director of the State Security Service (SSS), Dennis Amachree, has urged Unit- ed States (US) President, Donald Trump, to extend airstrikes to North Central, and North East, in an effort to make the strategy against terrorist elements successful.
The security consultant spoke in the wake of the Christmas night bombing of targeted terrorists’ strongholds within Sokoto general. The US Department of War is yet to provide Battle Damage Assessment (BDA) from the Intelligence-led kinetic operation executed in collaboration with the Armed Forces of Nigeria (AFN).
“Evidence of the impending strike emerged last week when residents and analysts noted an uptick in Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR) flights. These joint U.S.-Nigerian sorties were reportedly mapping terrorist hideouts with surgical precision.
“The Christmas Day strike in Sokoto represents the first major kinetic involvement of U.S. forces on Nigerian soil in recent years. “While some critics argue that the U.S. may have acted unilaterally, raising concerns over national sovereignty, the coordination of ISR flights suggests a level of behind-the-scenes military synergy.
“The American strike is a strategic warning, says one local security analyst. “It sends a clear message to the terrorists operating in the Sokoto axis: “The world is watching, and there is nowhere left to hide. “For many Nigerians, the intervention is a welcome relief after nearly two decades of local conflict”, Amachree stated.
He added: “However, for the strategy to be successful, it must be more than a oneoff event. “To truly dismantle the infrastructure of terror, the following steps are crucial: Expansion of Reach: Strikes should be extended to known enclaves in the North-East and North-Central regions.
“Targeting Sponsors: Military action must be coupled with financial intelligence to cripple the ‘sponsors’ who fund these insurgencies.
“Minimising Collateral Damage: As the air campaign intensifies, the U.S. and Nigerian forces must ensure strikes remain precise to avoid civilian casu- alties, which only serve as a recruitment tool for extremists.
“After 16 years of resilience, Nigeria’s fight against terrorism has entered a new chapter. “With the weight of American technology and the resolve of the Nigerian military, the hope is that the peace so many have prayed for is finally within reach.”
