Bamidele Atoyebi,

The conviction of ISWAP commander Hussaini Ismaila sentenced to 20 years for masterminding multiple terror attacks in Kano, proves that Nigeria can win the fight against terrorism when state institutions act decisively. But it also exposes a deeper truth: for Nigeria to finally defeat insecurity, we must change our strategy and act with the speed this moment demands.

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has demonstrated commitment to strengthening national security, yet insecurity is still being weaponized by political actors determined to stain the progress of his economic reforms. As the economy rebounds, insecurity has become their remaining tool. This is why the federal government must respond with clarity, courage, and speed.

To end banditry and terrorism faster, three urgent approaches must be adopted immediately.

The first is fast-tracking terrorism trials, with full backing for the DSS and the Army in prosecuting suspects, just like EFCC receives full backing when prosecuting for financial crimes. For too long, those arrested for terror-related offences spend years locked in endless legal processes. This must stop. The federal government should guide the judiciary to ensure terrorism cases move swiftly, with resources, intelligence, and legal frameworks coordinated for quick judgments. Terrorism is an attack on the nation’s soul; justice must be uncompromising. Twenty years is too small for someone who has taken innocent lives. Murder should attract the death penalty. The National Assembly must consider restoring death by hanging for proven terrorists and enforcing shoot-on-sight for heavily armed bandits who refuse to disarm. A country at war must adopt wartime measures.

The second urgent step is strengthening local government led security and enforcing the local government autonomy so communities become the frontline of security. Most insecurity happens in rural communities areas where villagers know their terrain better than any external force. The federal government should empower local governments to establish Forest Guards immediately, while the military handles training and oversight before handing them back to local administrations. Each local government should receive a monthly allocation between ₦50 million and ₦200 million depending on population and size to cover salaries, operations, equipment, and vehicles. Once local governments begin to function as true security frontlines, insecurity will drop sharply. Over-centralization has failed; local knowledge is key.

To make this system work, the President should limit the post of Chief Security Officer from governors and give what belong to the local government to local government chairmen. Security is easier to manage from the grassroots. LG chairmen know their terrain, communities, and local patterns and can be held accountable for failures. Funds allocated for local security would be under the LG chairman’s direct oversight. Just as President Tinubu boldly removed fuel subsidy, he should also remove the security votes allocation from governors. LGs would then efficiently recruit Forest Guards, assign them to wards, and ensure localised accountability, giving Nigeria a real line of responsibility in the fight against insecurity.

The third critical move is crushing the illegal mining networks fueling banditry. Wherever terrorism thrives, valuable minerals are usually present beneath the soil. This is not a coincidence. Illegal miners often fund armed groups, provide cover, and use the terrain as a base. The Ministry of Solid Minerals must map all mining areas, identify licensed and unlicensed operators, and immediately shut down illegal mining activities. Where illegal miners are found in large numbers, the government must act swiftly, including establishing permanent military barracks. No terrorist network survives without money. illegal mining is their cash engine.

Nigeria is at a turning point. President Tinubu’s economic reforms are already yielding growth, investment, and recovery. This is precisely why insecurity is being used as a political weapon to derail the administration. The government must not allow that to happen.

Fast justice, empowered local governments, and a decisive crackdown on illegal mining will weaken terrorists faster than any other approach. The time to act is now. Nigerians are tired of fear, communities long for peace, and the President must seize this moment with boldness and speed.

Bamidele Atoyebi is the Convener of BAT Ideological Group, National Coordinator of Accountability and Policy monitoring and a publisher at Unfiltered and Mining Reporting