A civil society organisation, the Centre for Security and Peace Advancement (CSPA), has called on Nigerians to appreciate the operational complexities confronting security agencies during rescue missions involving kidnapped victims held in remote forest camps across the country.
The group cautioned against public pressure for immediate large-scale military offensives against kidnappers, warning that such actions could endanger the lives of hostages.
Speaking on behalf of the organisation, its Executive Director, Abdul Ganiyu, said demands for swift assaults on identified criminal hideouts often overlook the difficult realities faced by security forces tasked with rescuing victims alive.
According to him, military operations are guided primarily by the need to safeguard lives, including those of captives who are frequently used as human shields by kidnappers.
“The public must understand that rescue missions are not as simple as sending troops into a forest and engaging criminals. In many cases, victims are surrounded by heavily armed kidnappers who may kill hostages at the slightest indication of an approaching military force,” Ganiyu said.
He explained that abductors often disperse victims across multiple locations within dense forests, making direct military assaults highly risky and potentially fatal for those being held captive.
Ganiyu noted that security agencies typically depend on painstaking intelligence gathering, surveillance, negotiations and carefully coordinated operations to create opportunities for successful rescues while minimising casualties among both victims and security personnel.
He further observed that many forests serving as criminal enclaves are vast, rugged and difficult to navigate, while kidnappers often possess extensive knowledge of the terrain.
Such conditions, he said, require detailed planning to avoid ambushes, friendly-fire incidents and unintended harm to civilians.
Drawing lessons from counter-terrorism and anti-banditry campaigns across the world, the CSPA director stressed that hasty military offensives have, in some instances, resulted in the mass killing of hostages — outcomes security commanders are keen to prevent.
While acknowledging public frustration over the growing incidence of kidnapping, Ganiyu maintained that operational decisions must be driven by intelligence, professionalism and the safety of victims rather than emotional reactions or public pressure.
The organisation commended the Armed Forces of Nigeria, intelligence agencies and other security services for their continued efforts to secure the release of abducted persons under difficult and often life-threatening conditions.
It also urged communities to support security agencies by providing credible intelligence capable of exposing criminal hideouts, movement patterns and logistical networks.
“Every rescue operation must balance speed with caution. The ultimate objective is not merely to neutralise criminals but to ensure that innocent Nigerians return home alive.
This is why security forces must carefully assess every situation before launching kinetic operations,” Ganiyu added.
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