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By Abraham Oluwasogo
The release of the worshippers abducted from the Christ Apostolic Church in Eda Oniyo, Ekiti State, after more than two harrowing months in captivity is a welcome relief not only for their families but for all Nigerians who have followed the painful ordeal with anxiety. Although the joy of their freedom is inevitably tempered by the tragic death of one of the captives, the successful rescue once again demonstrates that Nigeria’s security architecture is becoming increasingly intelligence-driven, coordinated and result-oriented.
While commendations have rightly gone to the Ekiti State Government, the Nigeria Police Force, the Armed Forces, the Amotekun Corps, local hunters and community leaders, the operation also reflects the strategic national security coordination that has become the hallmark of the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) under Mallam Nuhu Ribadu.
Modern security operations are rarely the product of isolated institutional efforts. They succeed because someone coordinates intelligence, harmonises operational assets and ensures that diverse agencies work toward a common objective. That coordinating responsibility rests squarely with the Office of the National Security Adviser. The rescue in Ekiti is another indication that this framework is steadily yielding results.
The abduction itself had all the characteristics of today’s organised criminal enterprises. Armed men stormed a place of worship in Eda Oniyo, a border community between Ekiti and Kwara States, shooting the resident pastor before abducting 16 worshippers, including women and children. The victims were subsequently moved through dense forests across state boundaries, a tactic increasingly adopted by kidnappers to frustrate pursuit and complicate rescue efforts.
The criminals initially demanded an outrageous ransom reportedly put at one billion naira before reducing it substantially. Even after members of the community reportedly made financial sacrifices to meet some of the demands, the captives remained in the forests, underscoring a painful reality that ransom payments seldom guarantee freedom. The eventual release therefore owed less to negotiations than to sustained operational pressure.
Intelligence-led operations have increasingly replaced reactive security responses.
Rather than relying solely on brute force, agencies are integrating surveillance, intelligence gathering, inter-agency collaboration and operational coordination to dismantle criminal networks while maximising the chances of rescuing victims alive.
This strategic shift has become more pronounced under Ribadu’s leadership as National Security Adviser.
Since assuming office, Ribadu has consistently advocated a whole-of-government approach to national security. His philosophy recognises that terrorism, banditry, kidnapping and organised crime are multidimensional threats requiring coordinated responses rather than isolated institutional efforts. The success recorded in Ekiti reflects that thinking.
Security agencies that previously operated largely within institutional silos are now increasingly sharing intelligence, conducting joint operations and coordinating field activities more effectively. Such coordination is particularly important in crimes involving interstate criminal movements.
The kidnappers who attacked Eda Oniyo reportedly moved their victims into neighbouring Kwara State through forest corridors. This immediately transformed what appeared to be a local crime into a regional security challenge.
Without integrated intelligence networks and unified operational planning, tracking such mobile criminal groups becomes exceedingly difficult. The Office of the National Security Adviser exists precisely to bridge these institutional gaps.
By strengthening intelligence fusion, facilitating operational collaboration and improving communication among security agencies, ONSA has enhanced Nigeria’s capacity to respond to increasingly sophisticated criminal threats.
The Ekiti operation illustrates how such coordination translates into tangible outcomes. It is equally significant that Governor Biodun Oyebanji publicly acknowledged President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s support in securing the victims’ release while commending the various security institutions involved.
That acknowledgment reflects an important reality. Security success is cumulative.
Operational victories recorded by state commands are often built upon national strategic coordination, improved intelligence capabilities and federal support mechanisms.
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This broader architecture has undergone noticeable transformation over the past two years.
Across different theatres of operation, Nigerian security agencies have intensified pressure on terrorists, bandits and kidnapping syndicates through intelligence-led offensives, technological surveillance, financial investigations and closer inter-agency collaboration.
The National Counter Terrorism Centre has become more active. Military operations have become increasingly intelligence-driven. International security partnerships have expanded significantly.
It represents another demonstration that coordinated security institutions can deliver meaningful results even in complex hostage situations. The role of local stakeholders also deserves recognition.
Traditional rulers, community leaders, local hunters and regional security outfits such as Amotekun increasingly serve as critical intelligence assets because they possess deep knowledge of local terrain and community dynamics.
One of Ribadu’s enduring contributions has been encouraging security structures that integrate community intelligence into national security planning.
Effective intelligence rarely begins in command headquarters. It often begins with ordinary citizens. The rescue operation further highlights another important lesson: patience and persistence remain indispensable in hostage recovery missions.
Governor Oyebanji’s directive that the Ekiti State University Teaching Hospital provide comprehensive medical care at government expense reflects compassionate leadership and demonstrates that rescue efforts do not end when victims regain their freedom.
Rehabilitation forms an equally important component of victim recovery.
While celebrating this success, Nigeria must remain mindful that kidnapping remains a national challenge requiring sustained vigilance.
Criminal groups continue to exploit forests, interstate boundaries and rural communities. They adapt quickly to changing security environments. Accordingly, security institutions must continue evolving even faster. Fortunately, this is precisely the direction current reforms appear to be taking.
It is evidence that Nigeria’s security institutions are becoming increasingly capable of working together toward common objectives under coherent national coordination.
For Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, whose office bears the responsibility of harmonising these diverse security efforts, the operation reinforces the value of strategic coordination over institutional rivalry, intelligence over speculation, and collaboration over fragmentation.
The tears shed in Eda Oniyo cannot erase the pain of the life lost in captivity. Yet they also affirm that determined leadership, coordinated intelligence and sustained operational pressure can overcome even the most difficult security challenges.
In an era when criminal networks operate across jurisdictions and exploit every available weakness, Nigeria’s response must remain equally coordinated. The successful return of the abducted worshippers stands as another testament that under the strategic leadership of the National Security Adviser, the nation’s security architecture is steadily becoming more responsive, more integrated and better equipped to protect innocent lives.
• Oluwasogo, writes from Ikole, Ekiti State.
