A former Assistant Director-General of the Department of State Services (DSS), Mohammed Ngoshe, has explained why the intelligence-led operation that secured the release of abducted pupils and teachers in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State cannot be applied in every kidnapping situation.
Ngoshe said security operations are shaped by the unique circumstances surrounding each incident, explaining that differences in terrain, motives of attackers, local dynamics and intelligence available often determine the approach adopted by security agencies.
The retired DSS officer spoke on Channels Television’s The Morning Brief on Wednesday, following public discussions over why the successful rescue of the Oyo victims after 56 days in captivity had not been replicated in states such as Borno, Plateau and Benue, where similar abductions and attacks have occurred.
He urged Nigerians to have greater confidence in the country’s security agencies, noting that many successful operations are not made public.
“You are right that there are mass abductions. But first, I want to address the issue of trust deficit. Nigerians should learn to trust their servicemen. These people are working hard and achieving successes in their own way.
“For every successful operation that you see against Nigeria, more than five to ten such operations may have been prevented. These are not easy successes to achieve,” he said.
Ngoshe stressed that the circumstances surrounding the Oriire incident were different from those in other conflict areas.
“Every case and every security operation has its own dynamics. What happened in Oriire might not be the same as what is happening in Borno.
“The political considerations and other factors that influenced the terrorists in Oriire are not the same as those involved in Gwoza,” he said.
Speaking about the situation in Gwoza, Borno State, where he said he is from, Ngoshe noted that the security challenges there were rooted in different factors.
“A lot of our people are still in captivity. Our circumstances are completely different from what happened in Oriire,” he added.
On the recurring violence in Plateau State, the former DSS official attributed much of the crisis to cycles of retaliatory attacks between communities.
He explained that attacks on one community often trigger revenge attacks from another, creating a continuous cycle of violence.
“When you attack a Berom man and kill him, as a Fulani man, you should know that you may be attacked in retaliation. Similarly, if a Berom man attacks a Fulani community, destroys property, kills people and rustles cattle, retaliation should be expected,” he said.
Defending the limited information released by security agencies during the Oriire rescue operation, Ngoshe said such missions could not be conducted through public announcements.
“It is not an operation that is supposed to be carried out on the pages of newspapers, radio or television stations,” he said.
According to him, the abductors initially targeted the school to pressure the Federal Government into releasing detained Ansaru leaders but later came under intense pressure from security agencies.
He said security operatives disrupted the kidnappers’ networks by arresting their collaborators, including relatives and associates who allegedly provided support.
“The service went into other activities, especially the arrest of their leaders and assets, including their parents, wives and children, who were collaborators.
“The terrorists eventually opened communication with the service and stated their demands, but those conditions were rejected. The pressure was then shifted back to them,” he said.
Ngoshe said the security forces eventually isolated the kidnappers by cutting off their access to food, weapons and intelligence networks, leaving them with no option but to surrender.
“They were denied access to food and weapons. Their informants were removed and turned into assets. They realised they had no option other than to surrender,” he said.
He added that security forces engaged the kidnappers after the victims were released, with some of the abductors killed while others were arrested.
“Some of them were eliminated, while about four who were critically wounded were taken into custody. They later died in hospital, while the others are being processed for prosecution,” he said.
On allegations of political interference in security operations, Ngoshe said effective leadership remains crucial to maintaining professionalism within security agencies.
“The whole thing boils down to leadership of these services. I am a DSS retiree and can speak for the DSS. I know the Director-General from when we started as young officers. He has always been an operations officer.
“He understands the implications of allowing political considerations to outweigh security considerations. His focus, calling and expertise are security,” he said.
