By Joy Odor Reportcircle News
The first signal of a shifting security tempo in Sokoto came not from a command centre, but from the dusty paths of Tidibale community.
In one of his earliest field engagements since assuming command, the General Officer Commanding (GOC) 8 Division of the Nigerian Army and Commander Sector 2 Joint Task Force (North West), Operation FANSAN YAMMA, Major General Bemgba Paul Koughna, took his assessment directly to Tidibale in Isa Local Government Area, an area recently shaken by bandit threats that forced residents to flee.
The visit was both symbolic and strategic. Standing before returning residents, General Koughna made it clear that the Army’s presence in Tidibale was no temporary gesture.
It was, he said, a firm commitment to reclaiming and holding ground.
“This visit is part of our initial assessment following your safe return,” he told the community, stressing that the Nigerian Army’s priority is to restore normal life and protect livelihoods. Farming, he noted, must resume without fear.
To back words with action, the GOC confirmed that troops have been permanently stationed in Tidibale.
Their task: maintain a strong security posture, remain on constant alert and respond immediately to any threat. No part of the community, he assured, would be allowed to fall under the control of bandits.
The message was blunt and reassuring at once, Tidibale is no longer a soft target.
General Koughna also placed responsibility in the hands of residents, urging them to remain vigilant and to promptly report suspicious movements.
Security, he said, is strongest when communities and troops work as one.
Earlier in the day, the GOC had received a detailed operational briefing at the Forward Operating Base in Isa from the Commanding Officer of 26 Battalion, Lieutenant Colonel Nasiru Mustapha.
The briefing outlined current threats, troop deployments and ongoing operations, providing the commander with a ground-level picture of the security dynamics in the area.
For Tidibale’s traditional leadership, the visit marked a turning point.
Speaking on behalf of the community, Sarkin Arewa Alhaji Ibrahim expressed deep appreciation for the GOC’s presence, describing it as timely and morale-boosting.
After months of uncertainty, he said, the visit had renewed hope among residents.
“We appreciate the Nigerian Army’s efforts to secure our community and help us return to our daily lives,” he said, adding that the people are confident in the GOC’s resolve to deliver lasting peace and stability.
The engagement in Tidibale underscores a broader message from Operation FANSAN YAMMA: security operations in the North-West are entering a more assertive phase, focused not just on clearing threats but on holding territory and restoring confidence among displaced communities.
As troops dig in and farmers prepare to return to their fields, the Army is betting that sustained presence, backed by local cooperation will succeed where fear once reigned.
In Tidibale, at least, the message from the top is unmistakable: the ground has been taken back, and it will be held.
