Column
Fortifying Democracy: Leveraging AI and Cybersecurity for Political Objectives
AI and cybersecurity play a crucial role in ensuring the democratic good of a nation by protecting critical infrastructure, preventing cyberattacks, and safeguarding sensitive information. Here are some ways in which these technologies can be effectively utilized for the benefit of a nation:
- Predictive analysis: AI technologies can be used to analyze vast amounts of data in real time to identify potential threats and anticipate future attacks. By detecting patterns and anomalies, AI can help governments stay one step ahead of cybercriminals and protect sensitive information.
- Threat detection and response: AI-powered cybersecurity systems can continuously monitor networks for unusual activities and potential threats. By automating the detection and response processes, these systems can swiftly identify and neutralize cyber threats before they cause any harm.
- Secure communication channels: AI can be used to develop secure communication channels for government agencies, ensuring that sensitive information is protected from eavesdropping and interception. By encrypting data and implementing secure protocols, AI can help maintain the confidentiality and integrity of government communications.
- Fraud detection: AI technologies can be utilized to detect and prevent fraud in government systems, such as tax evasion, identity theft, and other financial crimes. By analyzing transaction data and user behaviour, AI can identify fraudulent activities and alert authorities to take appropriate action.
- Voter security: With the increased use of digital voting systems, cybersecurity measures are essential to ensure the integrity of elections. AI technologies can be employed to detect and prevent election fraud, manipulation of voting results, and other threats to the democratic process.
- Public safety: AI can be used to enhance public safety by monitoring public spaces, detecting potential threats, and alerting authorities in real time. By leveraging AI-powered surveillance systems, governments can respond more effectively to emergencies and prevent criminal activities.
As such, the effective use of AI and cybersecurity is crucial for protecting the democratic interests of a nation. By implementing advanced technologies and robust security measures, governments can safeguard critical infrastructure, prevent cyberattacks, and uphold the principles of democracy. Ongoing investment in AI and cybersecurity capabilities is vital to ensuring the well-being and prosperity of a nation in the digital age.
Essentially, AI and cybersecurity can be leveraged positively for political objectives in several impactful ways, ultimately benefiting the greater good of a nation. These technologies intersect in key areas such as enhancing election security, promoting transparency and accountability, empowering political participation, improving public policy, strengthening cyber defence, combating disinformation, and facilitating international cooperation.
In terms of enhancing election security, AI can play a crucial role in securing elections by detecting and mitigating cyber threats. Machine learning algorithms can analyze data to identify unusual patterns that may indicate cyberattacks, ensuring the integrity of the electoral process.
Furthermore, AI-driven tools can promote transparency and accountability by analyzing government data and social media to expose corruption or misuse of public funds. By making this information accessible to the public, AI can foster greater transparency and hold political figures accountable.
Additionally, AI can empower political participation by providing citizens with personalized information about candidates, policies, and voting procedures. Chatbots and virtual assistants can answer questions, making it easier for people to engage in the political process.
Undoubtedly, AI can assist policymakers by providing data-driven insights and predictive analytics to improve public policy. By modelling the effects of different policies, AI can help craft more effective policies tailored to various demographics.
Furthermore, AI can bolster national cybersecurity by automating threat detection and response, identifying vulnerabilities in critical infrastructure, and responding to cyber incidents swiftly. This enhances cybersecurity, protects national security, and maintains public trust in governmental institutions.
AI can also combat disinformation by detecting and counteracting false information that aims to influence public opinion or destabilize political systems. Natural language processing algorithms can analyze social media posts and news articles to identify and alert users or authorities about disinformation campaigns.
Lastly, AI and cybersecurity technologies can facilitate international cooperation by enabling secure communication and data sharing between countries. This is crucial for addressing global challenges such as climate change, terrorism, and pandemics, fostering a healthier democratic process.
Coherently, by leveraging AI and cybersecurity in these ways, political systems can become more resilient, transparent, and inclusive, ultimately benefiting the democratic good of a nation.
In expanding the discussion on the effective use of AI and cybersecurity for the democratic good of a nation, it is essential to consider various issues, thought processes, and solutions that can contribute to a comprehensive understanding of this topic.
- Ethical Considerations:
One crucial aspect to address is the ethical implications of deploying AI and cybersecurity technologies in the political sphere. It is essential to ensure that these technologies are used in a manner that upholds democratic values, respects privacy rights, and avoids unintended biases. Thoughtful consideration must be given to issues such as algorithmic fairness, accountability, and transparency in decision-making processes.
- Trust and Public Perception:
Building trust in AI and cybersecurity among the general public is vital for the effective implementation of these technologies for political objectives. Transparency in how these technologies are used, clear communication about their benefits, and robust mechanisms for accountability can help enhance public perception and acceptance.
- Regulatory Frameworks:
Establishing robust regulatory frameworks that govern the use of AI and cybersecurity in politics is essential. These frameworks should address issues such as data privacy, cybersecurity norms, accountability mechanisms, and oversight of algorithmic decision-making. Thoughtful legislation and policy development can help ensure that these technologies are used responsibly and ethically.
- Education and Awareness:
Improving public understanding of AI and cybersecurity is crucial for fostering informed discussions and decision-making around their use in politics. Educational initiatives that raise awareness about these technologies, their capabilities, and potential risks can empower citizens to engage meaningfully in the democratic process and hold policymakers accountable.
- International Collaboration:
Given the global nature of cybersecurity threats and the cross-border implications of AI, international collaboration is key to addressing challenges effectively. Coordinating efforts to set standards, share best practices, and respond to cyber incidents can strengthen national security and promote democratic values on a global scale.
- Innovation and Adaptation:
Continued innovation in AI and cybersecurity is essential to staying ahead of evolving threats and challenges in the political landscape. Investing in research and development, fostering a culture of innovation, and adapting quickly to emerging technologies can help nations harness the full potential of AI and cybersecurity for democratic good.
- Inclusivity and Accessibility:
Ensuring that AI and cybersecurity technologies are inclusive and accessible to all segments of society is critical for promoting democratic ideals. Efforts to bridge the digital divide, address inequalities in access to technology, and consider diverse perspectives in the design and deployment of these technologies can help promote democracy and social cohesion.
Further, taking into account these issues, thought processes and solutions can help create a more expansive view of how AI and cybersecurity can be effectively used for the democratic good of a nation. By navigating ethical considerations, building trust, establishing regulatory frameworks, fostering education and awareness, promoting international collaboration, fostering innovation, and ensuring inclusivity and accessibility, nations can harness the transformative potential of these technologies while upholding democratic values and principles.
In conclusion, the effective use of AI and cybersecurity holds immense promise for advancing the democratic good of a nation by bolstering election security, promoting transparency and accountability, empowering political participation, improving public policy-making, strengthening cyber defence, combating disinformation, and facilitating international cooperation. By addressing ethical considerations, building trust, establishing regulatory frameworks, fostering education and awareness, promoting international collaboration, fostering innovation, and ensuring inclusivity and accessibility, societies can chart a path toward a more resilient, transparent, and inclusive democratic process. As nations navigate the challenges and opportunities presented by the deployment of AI and cybersecurity technologies in the political realm, a concerted effort to uphold democratic values, protect individual rights, and foster public trust is paramount. By embracing these technologies responsibly and ethically, nations can harness their transformative potential to shape a future where democracy thrives and the voices of all citizens are heard.
♦ Professor Ojo Emmanuel Ademola is a Nigerian Professor of Cyber Security and Information Technology Management, and holds a Chartered Manager Status, and by extension, Chartered Fellow (CMgr FCMI) by the highly Reputable Royal Chartered Management Institute.
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“Nigeria reframed terrorism, corrected Washington’s lens, and secured cooperation —a pure anatomy of diplomatic turnaround“ —Anthony Obi Ogbo
Nigeria’s recent engagement of a United States–based lobbying firm under a reported $9 million contract was widely scrutinized, predictably misunderstood by some, and quietly effective. The objective was clear: to shape Washington’s understanding of Nigeria’s complex security challenges—particularly violence affecting Christian communities—within an accurate geopolitical, intelligence, and regional framework. Such engagements are not unusual. In fact, they are a routine and essential feature of modern international diplomacy, allowing governments to clarify policy positions, counter distorted narratives, and ensure that domestic security crises are not flattened into simplistic talking points for foreign consumption.
In an era where global perception can influence aid, sanctions, military cooperation, and diplomatic goodwill, strategic communication has become inseparable from national security. Nigeria’s decision to professionally engage Washington signaled an understanding that security today is fought not only on the battlefield but also in briefing rooms, policy memos, and diplomatic corridors.
Evidence suggests that this recalibration has begun to yield results. Just days ago, former U.S. President Donald Trump publicly acknowledged—belatedly—that Muslims are equally among the primary victims of ISIS terrorism. It was a striking rhetorical shift for a political figure who had long leaned on broad, inflammatory framing that blurred the distinction between extremist violence and religious identity. That admission did not emerge in a vacuum. It followed sustained pressure from global security analysts, regional experts, and Muslim leaders who have repeatedly challenged the false narrative that terrorism is rooted in faith rather than criminal ideology, geopolitical instability, and organized violence.
More importantly, the acknowledgment coincided with tangible policy movement. Trump-aligned U.S. security networks have quietly expanded counterterrorism cooperation with Nigeria under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration. This development underscores a pragmatic recognition that effective counterterrorism is not achieved through threats, isolation, or performative rhetoric, but through partnership, intelligence sharing, and regional capacity building.
This week, the United States delivered fresh military supplies to Nigeria to support ongoing security operations. The delivery followed recent U.S. air strikes against Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) targets, carried out at Nigeria’s formal request. While air strikes often attract public attention, the more consequential story lies beneath the surface: a shift toward coordinated intelligence operations, logistical support, and sustained military collaboration. This is not symbolic diplomacy. It is functional, operational alignment.
Contrast this moment with an earlier chapter in Nigeria–U.S. relations. During the Jonathan administration, Nigeria experienced significant difficulties in its diplomatic engagement with Washington. Rather than relying on seasoned foreign policy professionals, security strategists, and international communications experts, the government leaned heavily on local intermediaries and political loyalists to interpret and convey Nigeria’s position abroad. The result was a weakened diplomatic posture, fragmented messaging, and persistent misinterpretation of Nigeria’s internal security realities. Critical issues—ranging from Boko Haram’s evolution to regional insurgency dynamics—were often viewed through incomplete or distorted lenses.
That experience offered a lasting lesson: goodwill alone does not translate into influence. In global politics, perception must be managed as deliberately as policy. Strategic silence, amateur diplomacy, or reactive communication leaves a vacuum—one that is quickly filled by external narratives, advocacy groups, or political opportunists with their own agendas.
What has changed now is not merely tone, but method. Nigeria’s current approach reflects an understanding that diplomacy is not capitulation, and lobbying is not a sign of weakness. It is leverage. It is preparation. It is the disciplined articulation of national interest in a language that global power centers understand. By engaging professionally, Nigeria reframed its security narrative—not as a sectarian failure, but as a shared counterterrorism challenge that requires international coordination.
Even Donald Trump’s posture illustrates this transformation. A leader who once relied on threats, ultimatums, and rhetorical spectacle has now, through institutional channels, become part of a support framework working with regional actors to strengthen security and civilian protection. The shift is not ideological; it is a strategic move. And it reflects the enduring truth that diplomacy often succeeds where bluster fails.
In international politics, power is not only measured by firepower or economic weight, but by the ability to persuade, align, and sustain cooperation. Nigeria’s recent experience is a reminder that nations are not judged solely by their crises, but by how effectively they explain, manage, and confront them on the global stage. Diplomacy, when practiced with clarity and professionalism, does not dilute sovereignty—it reinforces it.
♦ Publisher of the Guardian News, Professor Anthony Obi Ogbo, Ph.D., is on the Editorial Board of the West African Pilot News. He is the author of the Influence of Leadership (2015) and the Maxims of Political Leadership (2019). Contact: anthony@guardiannews.us
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Anthony Obi Ogbo
When Air Power Becomes a Christmas Performance: The Illusion of Success in Trump’s Nigerian Strike
“Bombs alone do not defeat ideology. Precision without intelligence is noise.“ —Anthony Obi Ogbo
When President Trump announced his authorized United States air strike against ISIL (ISIS) fighters in northwest Nigeria on Christmas Day, there was an immediate burst of celebration on Nigerian social media. For a country exhausted by years of kidnappings, massacres, and territorial insecurity, the announcement sounded like long-awaited international support. Memes circulated, praise poured in, and some Nigerians hailed Trump as a decisive global sheriff finally willing to act where others hesitated.
But after the initial euphoria settled, a sobering assessment emerged: the strike appeared less like a strategic military intervention and more like a made-for-television spectacle designed to burnish Trump’s international strongman image.
This was not the first time the United States has launched air strikes in Africa or the Sahel under the banner of counterterrorism. From Libya to Somalia, from Syria to Yemen, U.S. “precision strikes” have often been announced with confidence and celebrated with press briefings—only for the targeted groups to regroup, mutate, and, in some cases, expand their reach. In Nigeria itself, years of foreign-backed security assistance have failed to decisively neutralize Boko Haram or its ISIS-affiliated offshoots. Instead, violence has fragmented, spread, and grown more complex.
No verifiable evidence has been produced to confirm high-value ISIS targets were eliminated
The Nigerian strike followed a familiar pattern. U.S. officials framed it as a blow against ISIS-West Africa Province (ISWAP), a group aligned with the global ISIS network. Trump’s language suggested a decisive intervention—an act of muscular diplomacy signaling that America still projects power where it chooses. Yet no verifiable evidence has been produced to confirm high-value ISIS targets were eliminated, leadership structures dismantled, or operational capacity degraded.
What followed was a digital smokescreen. Social media accounts, many anonymous and unverified, began circulating gruesome images of dead bodies and destroyed villages—photos long associated with banditry in Nigeria’s northwest. These images were quickly repurposed to “prove” the success of Trump’s strike. However, this is where the narrative falls apart under scrutiny.
Trump’s mission, as publicly stated, was to target ISIS. Not bandits. Not kidnappers. Not rural criminal gangs. ISIS is a transnational terrorist organization with ideological, financial, and operational links across continents. Bandits, by contrast, are primarily armed criminal groups—motivated by ransom, cattle theft, and territorial control, not global jihad. Conflating the two may be politically convenient, but it is analytically dishonest.
Killing or displacing bandits does not equate to dismantling ISIS. In fact, indiscriminate or poorly targeted air strikes often worsen the situation, pushing criminal groups to radicalize, splinter, or align with extremist factions for protection and legitimacy. This pattern has been observed repeatedly in conflict zones where military force substitutes for intelligence-driven strategy.
A truly successful counterterrorism raid is not measured by dramatic announcements or viral images. It is measured by clear, verifiable outcomes, including the confirmed elimination of high-ranking commanders, disruption of recruitment and financing networks, seizure of weapons caches, and—most importantly—sustained reductions in civilian attacks. None of these benchmarks has been credibly demonstrated in the aftermath of Trump’s Nigerian air strike.
Instead, Nigeria wakes up to the same grim reality: villages remain vulnerable, highways unsafe, and communities terrorized. The strike did not change the security equation. It did not empower Nigerian forces. It did not restore civilian confidence. And it certainly did not neutralize ISIS as a strategic threat.
This air strike offered Nigerians symbolism, not security.
In that sense, the air strike was not merely ineffective—it was a failure dressed in the language of strength, executed for optics, and amplified for political gain. It offered Nigerians symbolism, not security.
If the goal is truly to eliminate ISIS and its affiliates in West Africa, the path is neither theatrical nor unilateral. It requires robust intelligence sharing, sustained training, and real-time coordination with Nigerian and regional forces. It demands targeted arms assistance, logistical support, and investments in surveillance capabilities that allow local militaries to act decisively and lawfully. Above all, it requires a long-term commitment to strengthening state capacity—not fleeting air shows announced from afar.
Bombs alone do not defeat ideology. Precision without intelligence is noise. And celebration without results is self-deception. Trump’s Nigerian air strike may have produced headlines, but history will remember it for what it was: a failed mission masquerading as success.
♦ Publisher of the Guardian News, Professor Anthony Obi Ogbo, Ph.D., is on the Editorial Board of the West African Pilot News. He is the author of the Influence of Leadership (2015) and the Maxims of Political Leadership (2019). Contact: anthony@guardiannews.us
- From Threats to Partnership: How Diplomacy Repositioned Nigeria in Washington - January 13, 2026
- Burbank Marriage Unravels After Woman Allegedly Used Tracking Devices to Monitor Husband - December 27, 2025
- U.S. Signals More Strikes in Nigeria as Abuja Confirms Joint Military Campaign - December 27, 2025
“With Obama, Al-Qaeda was not eliminated by noise; it was suffocated by intelligence.“ —Anthony Obi Ogbo
It has now been confirmed that the United States acted in collaboration with Nigeria in the recent strike on Islamic State elements in northwest Nigeria. That cooperation deserves recognition. Intelligence-sharing between Washington and Abuja is necessary, overdue, and welcome. Terrorism is transnational; defeating it requires allies, not isolation.
But let us be clear: bombs alone do not defeat terror. And Donald Trump’s strike—trumpeted loudly on social media before facts, casualties, or strategy were disclosed—was less a turning point than a performance.
Trump’s announcement was a classic spectacle: “powerful,” “deadly,” “perfect strikes.” No numbers. No clarity. No accountability. Just noise. It was the same choreography America has deployed in Iraq, Afghanistan, Syria, Libya, Yemen, and Somalia—places where U.S. airpower landed hard, headlines screamed victory, and instability deepened afterward. Violence escalated. Militancy adapted. Civilians paid the price.
History is unkind to airstrikes sold as solutions.
Nigeria knows this better than anyone. Long before Trump’s tweet, the Nigerian military had already conducted multiple operations in the same terror corridor. At least five major strikes and offensives stand out:
- First, Operation Hadarin Daji, launched to dismantle bandit and terror camps across Zamfara, Katsina, and Sokoto, involving sustained air and ground assaults.
- Second, Operation Tsaftan Daji, which targeted terrorist hideouts in the Kamuku and Sububu forests—precisely the terrain now in the headlines.
- Third, repeated Nigerian Air Force precision strikes in the Zurmi–Shinkafi axis, neutralizing commanders and destroying logistics hubs.
- Fourth, joint operations with Nigerien forces, disrupting cross-border supply routes used by ISIS-linked groups.
- Fifth, recent coordinated offensives involving intelligence-led raids, special forces insertions, and follow-up ground clearing in the northwest.
These were not symbolic gestures. They were Nigerian-led, Nigerian-funded, Nigerian-executed. And yet, there were no fireworks on social media. No flag-waving hysteria. No intoxicated praise of Nigerian commanders as saviors of civilization.
Why? Because there is a dangerous segment of Nigerians who suffer from what can only be called the American Wonder mentality—a colonial hangover that applauds anything louder simply because it comes from Washington. The same Nigerians who ignore their own soldiers dying in silence suddenly abandon Christmas meals to celebrate Trump’s tweets, typing incoherent praise, mangling grammar, and mistaking spectacle for substance.
It is embarrassing. And it is intellectually lazy.
Terrorism is not defeated by volume or virality. It is defeated by intelligence—quiet, patient, unglamorous work. The United States knows this. Barack Obama understood it. Al-Qaeda was not dismantled through social media theatrics or chest-thumping declarations. It was weakened through intelligence fusion, financial disruption, targeted operations, local partnerships, and relentless pressure on leadership networks—mostly without fanfare.
Obama did not tweet. He acted. So what actually works against groups like ISIS in Nigeria?
First, intelligence supremacy. Human intelligence from local communities, defectors, and infiltrators matters more than bombs. Terror groups survive on secrecy. Break that, and they collapse.
Second, financial and logistical strangulation. Terrorists run on money, fuel, arms, and food. Cut access to smuggling routes, illicit mining, ransom flows, and cross-border trade, and their operational capacity withers.
Third, community stabilization and governance. Terrorism thrives where the state is absent. Roads, schools, policing, and justice systems matter. People who trust the state do not shelter terrorists.
Fourth, regional coordination, not episodic strikes. Nigeria, Niger, Chad, and Burkina Faso must sustain joint pressure, not reactive operations driven by headlines.
Airstrikes can support these strategies—but only as tools, never as substitutes.
Trump’s strike may have killed militants. It may have disrupted camps. That is commendable. But it is not a solution. It is a moment. And moments, without strategy, fade.
If Nigerians truly want terror defeated, they should stop worshiping foreign loudness and start demanding disciplined intelligence, consistent policy, and respect for the men and women already fighting on the ground.
Real victories are quiet. Real security is built, not tweeted.
♦ Publisher of the Guardian News, Professor Anthony Obi Ogbo, Ph.D., is on the Editorial Board of the West African Pilot News. He is the author of the Influence of Leadership (2015) and the Maxims of Political Leadership (2019). Contact: anthony@guardiannews.us
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