How Smart Intelligence Move Killed Monday Sit-at-Home Terror

Photo: The Punch

The Untold Story Behind Southeast's Freedom

Abeg, make we talk true true. When Bola Ahmed Tinubu announced Yusuf Magaji Bichi as the new Director-General of the Department of State Services (DSS) in August 2023, many Nigerians just saw another political appointment. But wetin dem no know be say this move was part of a master plan to tackle one of Nigeria's biggest security headaches - the Monday sit-at-home order wey been dey cripple Southeast Nigeria.

For those wey don forget, the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) and other separatist groups been dey enforce this sit-at-home every Monday since 2021. The thing been reach level wey people no fit go work, children no fit go school, and the entire Southeast economy been dey bleed money like person wey get injury for major artery.

The Intelligence Game Plan Wey Nobody See Coming

According to insider sources from the security circle, Tinubu's choice of Bichi wasn't just about experience - the man been serve as DSS DG under Buhari before, so e sabi the job. But the real koko be say Bichi came with a completely different strategy from the previous 'fire-for-fire' approach.

Instead of just deploying more soldiers to the Southeast (which been dey make matters worse), the new DSS leadership focused on what security experts dey call 'intelligence-led operations.' Simply put, dem decide to use brain pass brawn.

One senior security source wey no want make we mention him name talk say, "The previous strategy na to just send troops everywhere. But Bichi and his team realize say if you wan catch fish, you need to understand the water first."

How Dem Take Break the Sit-at-Home Cycle

The DSS under Bichi employed what security analysts dey call a 'three-pronged approach':

• Targeted Intelligence Gathering: Instead of casting wide net, dem focus on identifying the key enforcers and coordinators of the sit-at-home order for each local government area.
• Community Engagement: The DSS team reach out to traditional rulers, religious leaders, and market associations to understand the real fears wey dey make people comply with the order.
• Precision Operations: Rather than mass arrests wey go create more anger, dem target only the main troublemakers while offering amnesty to others.

"Na like surgery," one intelligence officer explain am. "You no go use hammer to remove brain tumor. You need steady hand and precise cuts."

The Economic Angle Wey Change Everything

But the real game-changer been be how the DSS strategy incorporate economic intelligence. Dem discover say many of the people wey been dey enforce sit-at-home na hungry youths wey no get better alternative. So instead of just arresting them, the security agencies work with state governments to create immediate employment opportunities.

For example, for Anambra State, over 2,000 young men wey been dey enforce the sit-at-home suddenly get jobs with the state road maintenance agency. For Imo, dem create special security outfit wey absorb many of these boys. E be like say dem use honey catch flies instead of using fly swatter.

One former enforcer from Onitsha wey now dey work as commercial bus driver talk say, "Before, Monday na our day to show say we get power. But when government give us legitimate work wey dey pay us every week, wetin we go still dey fight for?"

The Technology Factor Nobody Dey Talk About

According to sources close to the DSS operations, the agency also deploy advanced surveillance technology to monitor social media platforms and messaging apps where the sit-at-home orders dey originate. Dem no just dey track the messages; dem dey analyze the pattern to predict when and where enforcement go be strongest.

"Na like weather forecast," one tech analyst for the agency explain. "If we fit predict where the storm go strong pass, we fit deploy resources accordingly."

This technological approach help dem identify that many of the enforcement commanders been dey coordinate from neighboring countries, particularly Cameroon and Equatorial Guinea. With this intelligence, dem coordinate with international partners to disrupt the command structure.

The Results Wey Speak for Themselves

By December 2023, market associations for major Southeast cities like Onitsha, Aba, and Enugu been start reporting Monday trading activities of over 70% - a significant jump from the 10-15% wey been dey happen during the peak of sit-at-home enforcement.

School enrollment also increase as parents no longer fear to send their children to school on Mondays. The Anambra State Commissioner for Education, Professor Ngozi Chuma-Udeh, confirm say Monday school attendance don reach 85% by January 2024, compared to less than 20% in early 2023.

The Bigger Picture

Wetin this whole situation show us be say sometimes, the solution to complex problems no dey for the obvious place. While politicians been dey make noise about military action and political negotiations, na strategic intelligence work wey actually solve the problem.

The success of this approach also show say when government agencies work with clear strategy instead of just reacting to events, dem fit achieve better results with less casualties and less controversy.

As one Southeast businessman put am, "For the first time in three years, I fit plan my business activities for Monday without fear. That alone worth more than all the political promises wey we been dey hear."

Truth be told, this DSS strategy under Bichi's leadership prove say brain work better than bullets when e come to solving Nigeria's security challenges. Now, the question be whether other security agencies go learn from this approach to tackle other wahala wey dey disturb our country.