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By Tracy Moses
The Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), General Olufemi Oluyede, has stressed that the Armed Forces alone cannot resolve Nigeria’s security challenges, calling for urgent strengthening of the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) to consolidate gains in the fight against insurgency and banditry across the country.
Oluyede made the appeal on Tuesday during the 2025 budget appraisal and defence of the 2026 budget proposal at the National Assembly Complex, Abuja. He noted that the police and civil defence, which have larger personnel strength and wider community reach than the military, must be adequately equipped to take over and secure areas already cleared of criminal elements.
“If these institutions are strengthened, they can effectively hold and secure territories where the Armed Forces have succeeded, ensuring that such areas remain safe,” the CDS said.
Providing an overview of the nation’s security situation, Oluyede disclosed that arrangements had been concluded to deploy special forces to Kwara State and parts of Niger State to tackle the recent surge in insecurity.
He also assured Nigerians that renewed efforts were underway to address lingering threats in the Middle Belt, particularly in Benue and Plateau states, by taking the fight directly to insurgents’ hideouts.
“We are doing everything within our capacity to ensure that Nigeria becomes safer.
As we speak, the situation has improved significantly in the North-East. In the North-West, we still face serious challenges, and the same applies to parts of the North-Central, including Benue, Plateau, and even Kwara. But we are evolving modalities to address these challenges within the resources available to us,” Oluyede said.
The CDS revealed that new special forces had been deployed to Benue and Plateau, while a new Joint Task Force, code-named Operation Savannah Shield, would soon be inaugurated to specifically cover Kwara State and parts of Niger State.
“We are pulling resources from other theatres to strengthen this operation and ensure improved security in the area,” he added.
Oluyede further disclosed that Nigeria was partnering with allied countries to bridge gaps in intelligence gathering, stressing that such collaborations were being streamlined to safeguard the country’s sovereignty.
“Our partners have been quite helpful, particularly in intelligence. But we are careful to streamline these collaborations in line with the guidelines of Mr. President, to ensure that Nigeria’s sovereignty is not compromised,” he said.
He emphasised that the Armed Forces lack the manpower to be deployed everywhere at once, noting that continuous troop movements from one theatre to another have placed enormous strain on personnel.
“The soldiers hardly have rest because we don’t have the numbers. Recruiting more personnel comes with other challenges, housing, logistics and welfare. That is why strengthening the police and civil defence is critical. They have more men and better reach to fill the gaps after military operations,” Oluyede said.
Earlier, Chairman of the House Committee on Defence, Rep. Babajimi Benson (APC, Lagos), stressed that Nigeria’s contemporary security challenges could not be addressed through kinetic approaches alone.
While acknowledging the gains made by the Armed Forces and other security agencies, he said sustainable peace requires complementary non-kinetic strategies. “The defence and security sector occupies a central place in Nigeria’s development discourse.
No nation can make sustainable progress without guaranteeing the safety of lives, property, and critical national assets,” Benson said.
He highlighted the need for deeper institutional reforms, improved inter-agency coordination, and smarter deployment of scarce resources.
According to him, increased budgetary allocations must be matched with measurable outcomes, transparency, and accountability.
“The era of input-focused budgeting without commensurate impact is no longer acceptable. Nigerians expect results that translate into safer communities, restored livelihoods, and renewed confidence in the authority of the state,” Benson said.
The lawmaker advocated a whole-of-government and whole-of-society approach to security, calling for investments in strategic communication, community peacebuilding, defence intelligence infrastructure, cyber defence, border security technology, police reforms, and inter-agency data fusion centres.
Benson added that the 2026 budget proposals must demonstrate a clear balance between military strength and tools for sustainable peace.
He reaffirmed the House of Representatives’ commitment to national security, pledging the Committee’s support for strengthening Nigeria’s defence architecture through local production, research and development, improved personnel welfare, and modernisation anchored on efficiency, transparency, and innovation.
He also stressed that oversight remains a core constitutional responsibility of the House Committee on Defence, noting that appropriated funds are public resources that must be judiciously utilised. “Our oversight is not an obstacle but a necessary catalyst for efficiency and effectiveness. We stand ready to advocate for the resources the Armed Forces genuinely require to succeed.
However, this partnership is predicated on mutual transparency, a shared vision, and an unyielding commitment to measurable results,” Benson added.
He concluded by reaffirming the unwavering commitment of the House to peace, unity, and national security, noting that a strong, professional, and well-motivated military is indispensable to national stability.