By Gift ChapiOdekina

The Arewa Youth Assembly has said Nigeria is witnessing a gradual restoration of security across several troubled regions following intensified military offensives against insurgents, bandits and separatist armed groups operating in different parts of the country.

The group said recent security operations have significantly weakened criminal networks that once held sway in parts of the North-East, North-West, North-Central and South-East, leading to the return of relative calm in some previously volatile communities.

Addressing journalists on Thursday, the Assembly stated that the country’s security landscape had improved considerably compared to previous years when insurgent groups, armed bandits and militias openly threatened state authority and displaced thousands of residents.

Speaking through its Publicity Secretary, Aliyu Muhammad Sanni, the group noted that sustained military operations had disrupted the activities of several notorious terror and bandit leaders across different theatres of operation.

It recalled that Nigeria had, for more than a decade, grappled with multiple security crises ranging from the Boko Haram and ISWAP insurgency in the North-East to widespread banditry in the North-West, ethno-religious violence in the North-Central, separatist attacks in the South-East and militant activities in the Niger Delta.

According to the Assembly, the military’s renewed operational strategy has resulted in the neutralisation of several high-profile insurgent commanders and the destruction of criminal enclaves in remote communities and forest corridors.

The group specifically referenced ongoing operations targeting terror cells in the Lake Chad region, Sambisa Forest and bandit hideouts in the North-West, saying the sustained pressure had weakened the operational capacity of armed groups terrorising local communities.

It also highlighted military operations in the South-East against elements linked to the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra and its armed wing, the Eastern Security Network, noting that attacks on public infrastructure and enforcement of illegal sit-at-home orders had reduced in some areas.

In the Niger Delta, the Assembly said security operations against illegal refinery operators and militant camps were helping to curb crude oil theft and boost oil production.

The group identified operations such as HADIN KAI, FANSAN YAMMA, SAFE HAVEN, WHIRL STROKE and DELTA SAFE as some of the coordinated military campaigns contributing to the changing security situation nationwide.

The Assembly also pointed to ongoing reforms within the Armed Forces, including increased collaboration among the military services, improved intelligence sharing and investment in locally produced military hardware through the Defence Industries Corporation of Nigeria.

It further noted that welfare initiatives for troops, including improved accommodation, settlement of insurance claims and rehabilitation of military facilities, had contributed to boosting morale among personnel engaged in frontline operations.

The Arewa Youth Assembly said that although security threats had not been completely eliminated, recent developments indicate that Nigeria is gradually reclaiming territories and communities once dominated by criminal elements.

The group called on Nigerians to support security agencies with credible information and urged political leaders to avoid actions capable of undermining ongoing counter-terrorism and anti-banditry efforts.

It expressed confidence that with sustained military pressure and public cooperation, the country would continue to record progress in the fight against insecurity.