Northern Youth Leader Commends Army Leadership, Says Soldiers Delivering Results

Reported by Ariajegbe Sylvia Esezobor 

A prominent northern youth leader, Alhaji Ibrahim Dan-Musa, has commended the Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Waidi Shaibu, for what he described as a revitalized military force that is delivering tangible results in the fight against banditry and insecurity across northern Nigeria.

Dan-Musa, who spoke in Lafia, Nasarawa State, on Tuesday following a meeting of the Northern Ethnic Youth Group Assembly, said coordinated military operations were successfully preventing attacks and systematically dismantling the strongholds of armed bandits. “Our soldiers are delivering results. Attacks are being preempted, and bandit strongholds are being systematically dismantled,” he said. The youth leader said the military’s recent successes reflected a renewed operational focus that had begun to change the security landscape in the region, noting that communities that had lived in fear were beginning to see a measure of relief.

The Northern Ethnic Youth Group Assembly is an umbrella body that brings together youth organisations from across the nineteen northern states and the Federal Capital Territory. Dan-Musa, who has been at the forefront of youth mobilisation in the North, has consistently used the platform to engage with security agencies and advocate for policies that address the root causes of insecurity, including poverty, unemployment and the breakdown of community structures. His commendation of the Army leadership reflects a broader sentiment among northern stakeholders that the military’s recent operations have begun to yield results after years of persistent violence.

At the heart of Dan-Musa’s commendation was the leadership of Lieutenant General Waidi Shaibu, who assumed office as Chief of Army Staff in 2025. The youth leader praised the COAS for his emphasis on professionalism, improved operational welfare and the prompt payment of military allowances, noting that these measures had contributed to a marked improvement in the Army’s overall efficiency. “Public trust in our military has been restored,” Dan-Musa said. “Today, the perception of our military has shifted; Nigerians are now eager to celebrate and support our troops whenever they see them. This change in public sentiment is a direct result of the discipline and professional standards championed by the Chief of Army Staff”. He said the COAS’s reputation for discipline had permeated the ranks, leading to improved conduct and greater respect for human rights among soldiers deployed in the North.

The youth leader’s remarks come against the backdrop of sustained military operations across the North-West and North-East, where banditry, kidnapping and terrorism have displaced millions and killed thousands over the past decade. The Nigerian Army has conducted a series of operations in recent months, including the neutralisation of bandit commanders, the rescue of kidnap victims and the destruction of criminal camps in states such as Zamfara, Katsina, Kaduna, Sokoto and Niger. In September 2026, troops of Operation FANSAN YAMMA neutralised scores of terrorists in Sokoto State, while the Air Component of Operation HADIN KAI killed at least eighteen terrorists and destroyed logistics hubs in Borno State. The Army has also arrested suspects linked to attacks on communities in Plateau State and recovered weapons and ammunition in multiple operations across the North.

Dan-Musa also addressed the importance of peaceful coexistence between farmers and herders in Benue and Plateau states, where recurring clashes have claimed lives and deepened communal divisions. He called for sustained dialogue and reconciliation, cautioning that cycles of retaliatory violence only undermined the significant progress made by security forces. “The gains we are seeing today are fragile. They can be erased by a single act of revenge. Farmers and herders must choose peace, because violence only benefits those who profit from chaos,” he said. He commended the military and sister security agencies for their continued cooperation in securing the region, noting that the Army’s collaboration with the Nigeria Police Force, the Department of State Services and other agencies had improved intelligence sharing and operational coordination.

The youth leader also directed a strong message at traditional media outlets and social media influencers, urging them to exercise responsibility in their reporting on security matters. He emphasised that national security was a collective duty, warning that portraying the military in an unfairly negative light served only to weaken the nation. “No nation thrives by disparaging its own defenders,” Dan-Musa said. He called on journalists and social media users to verify information before publishing it, stressing that misinformation and sensationalism could undermine troop morale and erode public confidence in the military’s efforts. He said the Army had shown a willingness to engage with the media and the public, and that this engagement should be reciprocated with responsible reporting.

The commendation from Dan-Musa reflects a broader trend among northern youth groups, who have increasingly rallied behind the military’s counter-insurgency and counter-banditry operations. In December 2025, the Northern Ethnic Youth Group Assembly applauded the Chief of Army Staff for what it described as decisive leadership and reforms that had boosted troop morale and strengthened ongoing counter-banditry operations across the North. In May 2026, the Arewa Youth Assembly expressed solidarity with the Armed Forces and called on citizens to provide actionable intelligence to support military operations. In August 2026, the Tiv Youth Council and Arewa Youths commended President Bola Tinubu and the Chief of Army Staff for the establishment of the 5 Division in Benue State, describing the deployment as a strategic response to the security challenges in the Middle Belt.

For the Chief of Army Staff, the endorsement from northern youth leaders is a significant vote of confidence at a time when the military faces scrutiny over its conduct and its ability to protect civilians. The Army has been criticised in the past for human rights abuses and for its handling of investigations into allegations of misconduct, and building public trust remains an ongoing challenge. Dan-Musa’s statement that public trust has been restored may be premature, but it reflects a perception among some northern stakeholders that the military is moving in the right direction. Whether that perception translates into sustained cooperation between communities and security agencies will depend on whether the operations continue to deliver results and whether the Army sustains the discipline and professionalism that the youth leader praised. For now, the message from Lafia is one of cautious optimism, and the Arewa youth leader has placed his confidence in the Army leadership on the record.

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