A former Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lieutenant General Tukur Buratai (rtd), has called for an expanded and well-equipped Nigeria Police Force that will take full responsibility for internal security and reduce the country’s reliance on the military for routine policing duties.
Buratai made the observation at the National
Symposium/Lecture Series held in commemoration of the 2026 Armed Forces
Celebration and Remembrance Day (AFCRD) in Abuja, where he delivered a lecture
titled ‘Securing Nigeria’s Future: The Armed Forces and National Development.’
According to him, the police should be professionalised
under a funded, multi-year plan to achieve a strength of around 1.5 million
officers, and ensured they can independently manage internal security
responsibilities.
Buratai also called for comprehensive reforms in Nigeria’s
security and governance architecture to safeguard the nation’s long-term
security and stability.
He advocated the repositioning of the armed forces as a
catalyst for national development and a strategic focus on high-intensity
combat and external defence.
The former ambassador to Benin Republic stressed five key
policy recommendations to translate Nigeria’s defence vision into actionable
outcomes and proposed the establishment of a National Defence Innovation Fund
(NDIF), leveraging public-private partnerships to finance research and
development in critical dual-use technologies such as cyber defence, unmanned
aerial systems, satellite communications, and renewable energy solutions for
forward operating bases.
He explained that such a framework would ensure defence
spending drives innovation within the civilian technology sector.
On human capital development, Buratai called for a revised
National Service and Veterans’ Framework, transforming the National Youth
Service Corps (NYSC) into a mandatory national service scheme with both
military and civic tracks to promote skill acquisition, national cohesion, and
post-service employment opportunities.
He further called for the passage of a Veterans’ Rights and
Transition Act to guarantee timely pensions, healthcare access, skills
conversion programmes, and legal protections for retired personnel.
The ex-COAS also recommended institutionalising permanent
civil-military cooperation (CIMIC) directorates within the Ministry of Defence
and service headquarters to ensure structured collaboration with civilian
ministries in post-conflict development, while preventing mission creep by the
military.
On regional security, Buratai emphasised the need for
strengthened multilateral cooperation through frameworks such as the
Multinational Joint Task Force and the Gulf of Guinea maritime security
architecture.
He noted that collective action remains critical in
addressing transnational threats and fostering stability across the region.
He concluded that a balanced approach to defence reform,
internal security restructuring, and regional cooperation would allow Nigeria
to optimise its resources, strengthen national unity, and secure a more
prosperous future.
Earlier, the Minister of Defence, General Christopher Musa
(rtd), reaffirmed the Federal Government’s commitment to building a
professional and resilient armed forces capable of safeguarding Nigeria’s
sovereignty and supporting national development.
He highlighted the ministry’s ongoing focus on troop
welfare, enhanced training, doctrinal refinement, and expansion of indigenous
defence production to ensure sustainable long-term security capabilities.
Musa also noted that current policy and legislative reforms
are revitalising local defence industries, encouraging private sector
participation, creating jobs, and deepening local content while reducing
dependence on foreign suppliers.
Advertise on NigerianEye.com to reach thousands of our daily users
No comments
Post a Comment
Kindly drop a comment below.
(Comments are moderated. Clean comments will be approved immediately)
Advert Enquires - Reach out to us at NigerianEye@gmail.com