In a notable demonstration of inter-agency collaboration and strategic foresight, Nigeria’s Defence Headquarters recently hosted its annual Psychological Operations Workshop, drawing elite commanders and security specialists from across the country.
Among the prominent participants was Assistant Commandant of Corps (ACC) John Onoja Attah, the Mining Marshal Commander. His inclusion underscored the growing relevance of influence operations in today’s dynamic security landscape.
The 2025 workshop, themed “Defence Headquarters Influence Operations: Optimising Psychological Operations for Efficiency within a Joint Environment,” aimed to strengthen coordination, precision, and the overall effectiveness of psychological tactics within joint security operations.
The initiative reflects the evolving complexity of Nigeria’s security challenges, where hybrid threats demand both kinetic force and strategic psychological responses.
Speaking on the sidelines of the event, ACC John Onoja Attah commended the Defence Headquarters for what he called a “strategically timely intervention.” He stated:
“This workshop has significantly sharpened our strategic posture.
In mining security and beyond, the ability to influence perceptions, manage narratives, and unify purpose across diverse commands is pivotal to mission success — one of the key components of Dr Abubakar Ahmed Audi’s strategic Master Plan for the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps.”
As Commander of the Mining Marshals — the corps tasked with safeguarding Nigeria’s mineral resources — Attah’s participation reflects a broader shift in national defence doctrine, where non-traditional domains like resource protection are increasingly integrated into mainstream security planning.
With rising threats from criminal syndicates and terror-linked illegal mining, the Defence Headquarters appears intent on positioning psychological operations as a core component of Nigeria’s multi-agency counter-threat strategy.
Senior defence officials hailed the workshop as a critical platform for cultivating a shared understanding among military and paramilitary forces. One senior officer remarked:
“Influence operations must evolve in tandem with modern warfare. In today’s battlespace, victory often begins in the mind.”
As Nigeria’s security forces confront challenges ranging from insurgency and illegal mining to cyber-propaganda, the Defence Headquarters’ sustained investment in cognitive warfare training is being recognized as both timely and essential.
The inclusion of seasoned field commanders like ACC Attah in such elite strategic engagements signals a deepening integration across the national security spectrum. The workshop concluded with strong commitments to bolster inter-service collaboration and enhance synergy — not only in combat operations but in the psychological arenas where narratives are shaped and minds are won.
