The Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lieutenant General Waidi Shaibu, has said robust local intelligence gathering is the most effective weapon in Nigeria’s fight against terrorism and violent crime.

He, therefore, urged communities across the country to take ownership of security efforts through active collaboration with the military.

Shaibu gave the advice in his message at the 7th edition of the Nigerian Army Key Stakeholders Engagement Forum themed “Taking the Nigerian Army to the Communities,” in Port Harcourt recently.

Represented at the event by the Director-General of the Nigerian Army Finance Corporation, Major General J.E. Osifo, the Army Chief emphasized that security was a collective responsibility that demands a whole-of-society approach.

He stressed that the Nigerian Army draws its strength from the support of citizens and communities, noting that cooperation from the civil populace significantly boosts the morale and operational effectiveness of troops engaged in counter-terrorism and counter-insurgency operations.

Shaibu also identified militancy in the Niger Delta, terrorism in the North-East, banditry in the North-West and separatist agitations in the South-East as pressing security challenges requiring coordinated national action and credible intelligence from the grassroots.

According to him, synergy with key stakeholders remains a central pillar of the Army’s strategy, as sustainable national security and economic development can only be achieved in a peaceful and stable environment.

As a way forward, he called on traditional institutions, faith leaders and civil society organizations to use their influence to promote unity and discourage criminality within their communities, describing them as critical partners in intelligence gathering and conflict prevention.

While acknowledging that counter-terrorism campaigns often record both successes and losses, the Army Chief said collaboration between the military and the public was indispensable to securing lasting victories on the battlefield.

He urged participants at the forum to contribute meaningfully to discussions, identify operational gaps and propose practical solutions that would strengthen trust and improve engagement between soldiers and civilians.

In his keynote address, retired Brigadier General, and traditional ruler of Abuloma Kingdom, Ateke Fiboinumama, underscored the importance of leadership in reducing crime, noting that effective engagement with community leaders can significantly curb insecurity.

Fiboinumama highlighted the Army’s non-kinetic interventions in Rivers State, including medical outreaches and disaster response efforts, and called for honesty within communities, stressing that while the military owes citizens protection, communities owe the military cooperation.

Earlier, the Chief of Civil-Military Affairs, Major General Musa Etsu-Ndagi, outlined ongoing initiatives such as scholarships, literacy competitions, medical missions and public complaint channels, as the forum concluded with a panel discussion to reinforce trust, transparency and sustained partnership as essential ingredients for restoring peace and stability nationwide.

The event had in attendance traditional rulers, religious leaders, civil society groups and other stakeholders who deliberated on strengthening civil-military relations.

King Onunwor