Devan Opper

Washington-Liberty High School

Class of 2023

Developed Counter-Terrorism Measures With Yobe State University In Northern Nigeria To Protect The Local Community From Boko Haram

Received Intelligence And Security Training From Former Top Officials At The FBI, CIA, And Pentagon

Earned A Grant Reviewed By Leaders At The Department Of Defense, Air Force, And FBI To Implement My Security Solution

Devan Opper is a rising 10th grader at Washington-Liberty High School in Arlington, Virginia. He is enrolled in the International-Baccalaureate program and takes Advanced Placement courses.

Devan Opper is a rising 10th grader at Washington-Liberty High School in Arlington, Virginia. He is enrolled in the International-Baccalaureate program and takes Advanced Placement courses. Devan has a strong interest in geography and history. He enjoys participating in academic clubs and has represented his school in math, geography, and quiz bowl competitions. Devan was the school champion for the National Geographic Geography Bee on three occasions and competed in the Virginia Geography Bee each of those years. His non-academic interests include chess, tennis, and piano. Devan also works as a volunteer for the U.S. Geological Survey as a map editor for The National Map Corps.

My Security And Intelligence Training

Yobe State University Security

Department Statistics

Location:

Security Administration Staff:

Security Guards:

Day Guards:

Night Guards:

Temporary Staff:

Permanent Staff:

Yobe State University, Yobe, Nigeria

6

134

67

67

111

29

Boko Haram and education are intrinsically linked. In the local Hausa dialect, “Boko Haram” means “Western education is forbidden”.

Poverty and resentment of Western culture has driven many students, clerics, and unemployed professionals to Boko Haram’s cause.

The security department is absolutely essential for ensuring the safety of the people that call Yobe State University home.

Yobe State University Security

Story of the Firm

As a government-sponsored entity, Yobe State University is a prime target for terror attacks. The school can be unsafe for students and employees, especially those who live on-site.

Musa, Head of Yobe State University Security Department

Boko Haram is a militant terrorist group that stands for anti-Western education ideals that has been based in Northeastern Nigeria since 2002.

The terrorist organization’s main priority is establishing, spreading, and maintaining an Islamic State to oppose the Western values that threaten their ideology.

Though they have been active for nearly twenty years, they have gained most of their notoriety within this last decade when they demonstrated their ability to carry out major acts of terrorism.

Most notably, in 2014, Boko Haram kidnapped 276 Chibok school girls and over 100 are still missing.

Yobe State University Security

Terrorism In Nigeria

Yobe State University is the heart of Yobe. The university encompasses a large area of land and serves upwards of 12,000 students.

Due to Covid-19, the university has lost the income it generates through in-person sessions and has been forced to reduce its security department.

The fiscal reduction of the security department leaves the school vulnerable to Boko Haram and affects the livelihood of hundreds of security guards.

Even before the pandemic, many guards were already struggling to make ends meet. The guards would have to work several jobs to supplement their income and support their families.

Yobe State University Security

Community Impact

Within the last few years, there has been a spike in insurgent activity in the Nigerian states of Yobe and Borno.

As recent as April of this year, there have been reports of major terror attacks in Geidam, the hometown of former Yobe State Governor Ibrahim Geidam.

One of the most notable of these attacks occurred in Gujba in 2013. During the night, Boko Haram entered the dormitory of the College of Agriculture at Yobe State University and opened fire.

This attack left forty-four teachers and students dead and many more injured and mourning.

Yobe State University Security

Current Threats

The Threat To The Community Of Damaturu

The Threat To Yobe State University

Established by the Yobe government in 2006, Yobe State University is one of Nigeria’s leading education providers.

The university is seen as a safe refuge for its 12,000 students studying everything from agriculture to sociology.

The university’s unique role in the education of youth has made it a major target of Boko Haram.

How The Community Is Placed In Danger

Founded in Maiduguri, Boko Haram has been a constant fixture in northeastern Nigeria since the start of the millenia.

In the past few years, the radical sect has taken to attacking Yobe State University, causing much injury and loss of life.

Fortunately, government intervention and the university’s security department have mitigated some of the community's fear.

My Counter-Terrorism Presentation

Review My Funded Security Proposal

Security Training Highlights

Our team began the solution-development process by having a one-on-one Skype call with the Yobe State University Security Department.

Through this call, we learned more about daily life in Damaturu and the shadow terrorism casts on the lives of its citizens.

By evaluating and discussing the problems that Yobe State University faces, our team began the process of brainstorming solutions to improve security.

In order to finalize our ideas, we held thoughtful discussions about potential solutions and the advice we received from experts.

During our brainstorming, the on-staff translators and national security experts helped facilitate the process and ensured that we were asking relevant questions.

Intelligence & Terrorism Expert Panels

Our team then met with leading experts from the United States Intelligence Community to brief us on counter-intelligence measures.

These leaders included Rusty Capps, who is a retired FBI Supervisory Special Agent. He is at the very forefront of counterterrorism, counterintelligence, and security awareness education. He is currently president of CT/CI Training Partners LLC and was able to provide my team with invaluable insight into the field of intelligence.

Under this expert guidance, we streamlined our initial solutions and furthered our efforts in solving the issues faced by Yobe State University.

Our team was able to advance our communication, teamwork, and problem-solving skills through hands-on project management and development.

By the end of the week, we had synthesized the advice of leading experts from across the globe for our grant proposal to transform the lives in the Damaturu community.

Five-Step Operational Security Training (OPSEC)

Our team was trained in Five-Step Operational Security, a risk management tool originally implemented by the military that has gained traction within the private security sector as well.

The first step of the process is identifying sensitive data requiring protection, while the second step is discerning potential threats.

Once sensitive data and potential threats are identified, analyzing and appraising the environment for security holes and assessing the risk associated with those vulnerabilities must be undertaken.

The final and most important step of the process is establishing and implementing countermeasures to eliminate or diminish potential threats.

Security Proposal With Top Intelligence Experts

Our team presented our final solutions to a panel of expert judges from the Pentagon, the State Department, and the Department of Defense.

This formal presentation allowed our team to practice our skills and measure the effectiveness of our communication, all while showcasing our efforts to transform the Yobe State University Security Department.

At the end of the presentation, we were able to receive feedback on our grant proposal for our security partner.

Over the next four weeks, our proposal would be reviewed three more times by national security experts and Leadership Initiatives' sponsors before being approved and put into action in the Fall of 2020!

Our office in Washington, DC is open seven days a week - give us a call! A phone conversation allows us to answer your specific questions and provide you with contact information for previous intership participants and their families so that you can get a first-hand perspective.

Join us this summer!

Contact Us

4410 Massachusetts Ave., NW #236

Washington, DC  20016

info@lichange.org

202-738-1115

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