Nigeria has inaugurated a national baseline assessment to boost its counter-terrorism efforts against Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs).

The initiative, led by the National Counter Terrorism Centre, was unveiled on Wednesday in Abuja during the Counter-Improvised Explosive Devices Baseline Self-Assessment Workshop.

The workshop was organised in collaboration with the United Nations Mine Action Service and the British High Commission.

Speaking on behalf of the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, the National Coordinator of the centre, Maj.-Gen. Adamu Laka, said the exercise was designed to critically examine Nigeria’s existing counter-IED capabilities and identify operational gaps across security institutions.

Laka described the initiative as a strategic follow-up to the Counter-IED Symposium held in March 2025 and a key step toward developing a comprehensive National Counter-IED Strategy.

He said IEDs remained one of the most dangerous weapons used by terrorist groups, particularly in the North-East, posing serious threats to military personnel, civilians and national infrastructure.

He noted that beyond the loss of lives and injuries, IEDs attacks had severely disrupted farming and economic activities, restricted humanitarian operations, displaced communities and weakened investor confidence in affected areas.

“These impacts go far beyond the battlefield and continue to affect the stability and recovery of communities across the country,” he said.

Laka explained that the assessment would utilise the Counter-IED Self-Assessment Framework developed by the United Nations Institute for Disarmament Research to generate empirical data and strengthen coordination among security agencies.

In her remarks, First Secretary at the British High Commission, Annup Vyas, said the United Kingdom was proud to support Nigeria in confronting the persistent threat posed by IEDs.

Vyas noted that the workshop marked an important milestone in the UK-Nigeria security and defence partnership aimed at strengthening national and regional stability.

“The threat from improvised explosive devices is ongoing and deeply damaging to lives, communities and regional stability.

“IEDs do not distinguish between soldiers, civilians or infrastructure. Their impact cuts across everything Nigeria is working to protect,” he added.

He emphasised that effective responses to the threat required not only resources and commitment but also a clear understanding of strengths, gaps and areas requiring improvement within Nigeria’s counter-IED architecture.

According to him, the assessment framework provides a structured methodology to evaluate national capabilities across prevention, detection, mitigation, investigation and consequence management.

The Commander of the Nigerian Army Corps of Engineers, Shamsideen Shafaru, said IEDs remain one of the most adaptive weapons used by hostile groups across several operational theatres.

Shafaru stressed that defeating the threat required a unified, intelligence-driven and capability-focused approach involving military, security, intelligence and civilian stakeholders.

He said the workshop would examine existing procedures, training frameworks, equipment and coordination mechanisms to identify capability gaps and strengthen operational synergy.

Shafaru reaffirmed the commitment of the Nigerian Army Corps of Engineers to supporting national counter-IED efforts through combat engineering expertise, technical innovation and force protection initiatives.

Edwin Faigmane, UNMAS Country Representative, said the workshop was part of a broader initiative to strengthen national capabilities in IED threat mitigation, protect civilians, and ensure the safety of security personnel.

Faigmane said the work of UNMAS focuses on mitigating threats from IEDs to personnel, civilians, and critical infrastructure.

He noted that the workshop uses a C-IED capability maturity self-assessment tool, developed by the United Nations Institute for Disarmament Research, which allows participating security agencies to evaluate and prioritize national C-IED capacities.

Participants at the workshop include representatives of the armed forces, security and intelligence agencies, ministries, departments and agencies, as well as international partners supporting Nigeria’s counter-terrorism efforts.

The Minister of Defence, retired Gen. Christopher Musa, said Nigeria’s military still maintains control over insecurity in spite of renewed terrorist and bandit attacks in the North East.

Musa gave the assurance on Wednesday in Abuja after a strategic meeting with Service Chiefs and senior military officers to review operational strategies across various theatres of operation nationwide.

He said the meeting was convened to assess the current security situation and strengthen ongoing efforts to defeat terrorists and other criminal elements threatening national security.

“We had a quick meeting with members of the services to review our strategy in all our theatres within the country.

“We are aware of the issues on ground, but I want to assure Nigerians that members of the Armed Forces are working tirelessly to ensure that Nigeria is safe and secure,” he said.

The minister acknowledged that the military had recorded some casualties in the course of operations, but stressed that terrorists and bandits were suffering heavier losses.

“We know we have suffered some casualties, but I can tell you the terrorists and bandits are taking more.

“We are taking out more of their commanders and destroying their assets, and we will continue to do that,” he added.

Musa urged Nigerians to continue supporting the Armed Forces and other security agencies, noting that tackling insecurity required a whole-of-government and society approach.

He warned against the spread of false information on social media, stressing that misinformation could undermine security efforts and affect troop morale.

According to him, citizens should always verify security-related information with the Armed Forces rather than rely on unverified online reports.

The minister also appealed to media organisations to exercise professionalism and avoid amplifying terrorist propaganda through the circulation of videos and materials produced by criminal groups.

“When you use their videos and pictures, you give them the opportunity to shine and use it as propaganda to demoralise our troops,” he said.

Musa further urged Nigerians to promptly report suspicious activities to security agencies and warned that individuals providing information or logistics support to terrorists would be treated as accomplices.

He thanked President Bola Tinubu for his continued support to the Armed Forces and other security agencies, while also congratulating the new Inspector-General of Police, Olatunji Disu.

He assured the new IGP of strong collaboration in addressing security challenges.

The meeting comes at a time when there is a resurgence of terrorists and bandits attack in the North Eastern part of the country

The military has in the last one week, lost a number of personnel while holding ground against the insurgents.

In the same vein, scores of terrorists and their commanders have been eliminated in recent operations across the theatre.

By David Torough, Abuja

Nigerian troops have recaptured a forward operating base in Ngoshe, Gwoza Local Government Area of Borno State, after a fierce gun battle with insurgents, even as the Senate mourned soldiers killed in renewed terrorist attacks across the state.

The operation, carried out by the military in collaboration with members of the Civilian Joint Task Force (CJTF), local vigilantes and hunters, restored control of the Ngoshe base which had come under heavy attack from terrorists last week.

Military sources said the insurgents had earlier killed at least 14 soldiers and several civilians during the assault, while abducting more than 100 women and children.

According to a source, the General Officer Commanding (GOC) had earlier mobilised about 200 troops to Ngoshe from Pulka to assess the situation after the attack forced soldiers to temporarily withdraw.

“At least 60 soldiers were left behind but they later retreated to Pulka when they noticed the movement of a large number of terrorists planning a counterattack,” the source said.

He added that reinforcements later regrouped and returned to the town on Wednesday, engaging the insurgents in a gun battle and successfully reclaiming the base.

“The town is now fully under the control of the military,” he said.

The recapture came amid growing concern over a resurgence of terrorist attacks in Borno State, which has led to the loss of several senior officers and soldiers in recent weeks.

Relatedly, the Senate on Wednesday observed a minute of silence for troops killed during a coordinated attack on a military formation in Kukawa Local Government Area of the state.

Moving a motion during plenary, Senator Mohammed Monguno (APC–Borno North) said suspected insurgents launched the assault in the early hours of March 9, attacking the base from multiple directions in a battle that lasted nearly 24 hours.

Despite fierce resistance from the troops, the attack resulted in the death of several soldiers, including Lt. Col. Umar Farouq, whom the senator described as instrumental in restoring stability in Kukawa after earlier insurgent incursions.

Monguno also informed lawmakers that another community, Doro in Kukawa Local Government Area, was attacked on Wednesday morning, leading to the death of another soldier.

Seconding the motion, Senator Shehu Lawal (APC–Borno Central) described the resurgence of insurgency in the North-East as alarming and called for urgent steps to strengthen counter-insurgency operations.

The Senate urged the Armed Forces to intensify intelligence gathering, surveillance operations and logistics support to end the persistent attacks.

Senate President Godswill Akpabio assured lawmakers that President Bola Tinubu was committed to addressing the country’s security challenges.

Meanwhile, the Nigerian Army has announced plans to expand its aviation capabilities as part of efforts to strengthen its operational effectiveness against insurgents and other security threats.

The Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Waidi Shaibu, disclosed this during a meeting with the Chief of the South African Army, Lt. Gen. Lawrence Mbatha, who was on an official visit to Nigeria.

Shaibu said Nigeria intends to leverage South Africa’s advanced military aviation establishment to train its pilots and build a stronger aviation wing for the Army.

He noted that the programme, which was established a few years ago, is expected to grow significantly in the coming years.

According to him, the proposed collaboration would also include specialised training for Nigerian Army medical personnel, particularly in areas such as forensic pathology and trauma care, to improve medical support for troops in combat operations.

Military authorities say the combination of enhanced training, improved air support and strengthened intelligence operations will play a critical role in sustaining the fight against insurgency in the North-East.