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Nigeria’s former Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Tukur Buratai (retd.), has cautioned that the growing reliance on the military for routine internal security operations may be undermining the long-term effectiveness of the Nigeria Police Force and other civilian security agencies.
Buratai argued that while the widespread deployment of soldiers across the country has delivered short-term calm in volatile areas, it is quietly weakening institutions that should ordinarily lead internal security efforts.
Speaking at the 2026 Armed Forces Celebrations and Remembrance Day lecture in Abuja on Monday, the retired general described the trend as a structural imbalance that risks overstretching the Armed Forces.
According to him, the heavy military presence across Nigeria’s 36 states has slowed the institutional growth of the police and intelligence services, creating what he called an unhealthy dependence on soldiers for duties outside their core mandate.
“The military’s constant involvement in internal security may offer immediate relief, but it gradually erodes civilian capacity and drains defence resources needed for external threats,” Buratai said during the lecture.
He explained that the consequence is a security architecture where defence budgets are increasingly diverted to policing tasks, leaving the Armed Forces less prepared for conventional and external challenges.
Buratai stressed that Nigeria’s constitution clearly assigns internal security leadership to civilian authorities, noting that the military is meant to intervene only in exceptional circumstances.
“Internal security should fundamentally be intelligence-led and managed by the police and relevant civil institutions, not permanently outsourced to the Armed Forces,” he said.
Furthermore, he warned that allowing internal deployments to become permanent could dilute the military’s primary responsibility of defending the nation against external aggression.
While acknowledging the Armed Forces’ contributions to national stability and development, Buratai called for a clearly defined exit framework that would gradually return internal security responsibilities to civilian agencies.
He said Nigeria’s democratic stability would ultimately depend on strong, well-equipped police and intelligence institutions, with the military retained as a strategic reserve.
Meanwhile, the Minister of Defence, General Christopher Musa (retd.), used the same platform to highlight the role of informal transportation networks in sustaining criminal operations across the country.
Musa said criminal groups increasingly exploit local transport systems to move weapons, drugs and illicit materials, adding that disrupting these channels requires collective action beyond the armed forces.
“Security is not the responsibility of the military alone. Communities, traditional leaders, religious institutions and local governments must be actively involved,” the defence minister said.
He added that effective community engagement remains central to dismantling criminal networks that operate across state and national borders.
Beyond internal security concerns, Musa reaffirmed the Federal Government’s commitment to building a more professional and self-reliant Nigerian Armed Forces.
He disclosed that ongoing reforms within the Ministry of Defence are focused on troop welfare, advanced training, doctrine development and the expansion of indigenous defence manufacturing.
According to him, Nigeria has recorded steady progress in locally producing defence equipment, reducing dependence on foreign suppliers while stimulating job creation and industrial growth.
“Our objective is to build sustainable defence capabilities rooted in local expertise and technology,” Musa said, noting that policy reforms are opening the defence sector to private sector participation.
He added that improved naval operations and maritime surveillance have already reduced criminal activities at sea, protected critical assets and boosted offshore productivity.
The minister also commended the Chief of Defence Staff, Service Chiefs and troops for their professionalism, assuring Nigerians that the military remains capable of confronting threats to national security.
Musa’s remarks come amid persistent security challenges posed by bandits, armed groups and criminal syndicates that rely on informal transport routes to move fighters and weapons across the country.
His call signals a broader strategy aimed at cutting off these movement channels as part of efforts to address Nigeria’s evolving security threats.