By: Kingsley Omonobi

Following the novel initiative by the Chief of Defence Staff, General Christopher Gwabin Musa, to directly engage communities at the local level across the Southeast on the need for their active participation in restoring lasting peace in the communities and rebuilding trust with security agencies, a strong delegation from the Defence Headquarters, led by Group Captain Bukar Ibrahim, Deputy Director, Department of Defence Media Operations, on Thursday, 24 April 2025, conducted a peace and diplomacy campaign to Anambra State and across Anambra East Zone comprising four Local Government Areas hitherto the hotbed of IPOB/ESN attacks.

The visit encompassed direct interaction with the Mayor of LGA, President Generals of 11 autonomous communities, Youth Leaders, the Igwe of Omor and other community leaders and residents who provided first-hand feedback on the progress made by security agencies through the military’s non-kinetic (peacebuilding) strategies aimed at stabilizing the South East in general and Anambra State in particular.

The first port of call was Anambra East LGA, where the Mayor (Executive Chairman), Hon. Ifeanyi Chimezie, the President Generals, Igwes and youth leaders of 11 autonomous communities converged to receive the CDS admonitions on cultural and military collaboration and impending non-kinetic opportunities, geared towards bringing lasting peace to the communities and ensuring normalcy returns to the South East and Nigeria.

Among the President Generals present were Professor Charles Nwadigwe, the PG of PG’s, from the Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Sunday Obinze, Christopher Ikechukwu Nwankor, and Oguefi AA Anizor. The communities represented include Umueri, Agueri, Nnando, Unsugwe, Umogwa, Ikemifite, Enugu-Otu, Ezeagwu-Otu, and Mkpu-Nnando among others.

Speaking on the security situation of the zone, known as Omambala, comprising 4 LGAs, and the return of economic activities, the Mayor, Hon Chimezie, said, “First of all, we want to thank the military, the Chief of Defence Staff, the Commander of Sector 5, Operation Udoka, Colonel AK Mohammad and our governor, Prof Chukwuma Soludo, for the serious improvement of security in Anambra East LGA.

“It is not only when the military does not do well and we or our people write petitions. We are thanking soldiers of 302 Artillery Regiment and the Commander, Col AK Mohammed, for the great job they are doing to bring back sanity and peace. We also thank the governor for giving him support. The governor is giving support to all security agencies as well, but we are saying the Army in particular because when the chips are down, we run to them, and they always respond.

He continued, “We thank the CDS for this visit because it shows he is thinking about the security and stability of the people of the communities at the grassroots level. The people of Anambra East are grateful for what the officers and men of the military are doing for our area.

“But we want more of the military deployments. We have boundaries with Enugu, Delta, Kogi, and Imo States and most times, criminal elements infiltrate from these border areas to cause havoc and then disappear back. We are ready to provide Security Posts where the troops can easily stay for duties and change shifts when necessary. Because if we have enough military presence in these areas, it will help us more.

Recalling the communal crises that broke out between neighbouring communities in a border area recently, the Mayor said it was the Commander Sector 5 who helped to douse the situation from getting out of hand with the deployment of men, Armoured Personnel Carriers and other equipment, which provided security and deterrent for almost three months before the crises was nipped in the bud.

In his remarks during the interactive session, Defence Headquarters representative Group Captain Bukar Ibrahim said the military’s non-kinetic initiatives in the South East are beginning to yield visible and tangible results, noting that beyond direct combat operations, strategic peace dialogues, mediation efforts, and humanitarian outreach programs have played a major role in addressing the root causes of the conflict in the area.

He said, “On assumption of office, the CDS, General CG Musa, crafted his mission to nurture the professional armed forces of Nigeria but be people-centric. He has always emphasized that Nigeria must exist before the armed forces and that the armed forces exist for the protection of Nigerians. So there should be no barriers between the people they are there to protect.

“It has been said that the armed forces can only combat 30 percent of the challenges of insecurity, while about 70 percent of the solutions to the causes of insecurity lie with subnational, political, economic, religious, ethnic and other subsectors. If poverty, unemployment, and economic instability are addressed, the challenges of insecurity will be greatly minimized.

Hence, the visit initiated by the CDS is to bring the communities into the fray to enable them to join in the task of restoring peace and security. They can do this by seeing the perpetrators of insecurity, providing security agencies with information and collaborating with security agencies by not shielding these elements who later turn up to destroy their communities.

Speaking on behalf of the President Generals of the Communities, Professor Charles commended the delegation for the visit, saying it sent a message of reassurance that the people in the rural communities had not been abandoned to their fate.

“But I must say the Army have been quite civil in the manner they have gone in the performance of their duties. They don’t engage in unofficial matters. They don’t demand anything from the people out of intimidation. They are there working for the people. As for the issue of sitting at home, this area, Anambra East, is not a flash point, so it has drastically gone down in this area.

Another PC, Barr Augustine Anizor, said, “We are really grateful to the military for the peace and security we are experiencing. If not for their presence, I don’t know we we would be today. There was a serious conflict between some communities including our own recently but with the presence of the military, what the other communities were planning were nipped in the bud and hoodlums wanting to cash in on the crises to wreck havoc, kill and maim people as well as cause destruction of property, failed in their bid”.

At Anyamelum LGA, the Igwe, Obi Eze Ana-Ukwu, and Eze Igulube of Omor promised to do more to mobilize the people to support the military and provide information to improve the security situation in Omor.

Describing Omor as a predominantly agricultural and farming community, the Igwe said, “It is a place of life and humanity. I am sure our relationship with the military will grow from strength to strength.

“We pledge to Defence headquarters that Omor people will continue to collaborate with the military to ensure security. We heard you very well about the need to give information when we see something negative that will threaten our peace and stability, and that I assure you.

Captain Bukar earlier said the visit to the cultural/diplomacy visit to the people of the Omor community was aimed at addressing misconceptions being peddled to prevent a cordial working relationship between the people and the community and to prevent them from giving actionable intelligence.

He continued, “In addressing security challenges, the people have to develop mutual trust and provide actionable intelligence because the military is very neutral.

He dismissed misconceptions attributable to military operations, saying, “Neutrality is our watchword. Have confidence in us. Shun misinformation and misinformation. Do not propagate criminal propaganda or activities that will endanger military operations.”

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