Operation MESA (OP MESA) is a joint security operation involving the Nigerian Army, Nigeria Police Force, and other security agencies. It was first established as an internal security framework to support civil authorities in maintaining law and order, particularly in response to rising threats such as armed robbery, kidnapping, cultism, and other violent crimes. Unlike permanent standalone forces, OP MESA functions as a coordinated operational platform that can be activated or reinvigorated in specific states or regions as security needs arise. It operates under the strategic oversight of the Defence Headquarters and relevant state security structures.

In execution, Operation MESA focuses on securing highways and vulnerable routes (e.g., Lagos-Ibadan Expressway), protecting lives and property, conducting patrols and raids on criminal hideouts, and restoring public confidence through visible presence and rapid intervention. It emphasizes synergy between military firepower and police investigative capabilities to tackle banditry, kidnapping, and other threats. The operation has been relaunched or strengthened multiple times in different states to address evolving insecurity challenges while working within the bounds of the law and in collaboration with state governments.