By Christiana Ekpa
The Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), General Olufemi Oluyede, has called for urgent strengthening of the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) to consolidate gains recorded by the Armed Forces in the fight against insurgency and banditry across the country.
General Oluyede made the call 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 Armed Forces, must be adequately equipped to take over and secure areas already cleared of criminal elements by the military.
“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 address the recent surge in insecurity. He stressed, however, that the Armed Forces alone could not resolve the challenges.
He also assured Nigerians that renewed efforts were underway to tackle lingering security 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,” Oluyede said. “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.”
He 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.
The CDS further disclosed that Nigeria was partnering with some allied countries to bridge gaps in intelligence gathering, stressing that such partnerships 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.
Oluyede emphasised that the Armed Forces lacked the manpower to be deployed everywhere at once, noting that continuous movement of troops from one theatre to another had 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,” he said.
Earlier, Chairman of the House Committee on Defence, Rep. Babajimi Benson (APC, Lagos), said 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, Benson stressed that sustainable peace required 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,” he said.
He noted that persistent security threats underscored 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, value for money, 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.
He 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 peace, unity and national security, pledging the Committee’s support for efforts aimed at strengthening Nigeria’s defence architecture through local defence production, research and development, improved personnel welfare and modernisation anchored on efficiency, transparency and innovation.
Benson further stressed that the 2026 budget must be clearly aligned with Nigeria’s national security priorities and ongoing reforms within the defence sector, insisting that submissions before the Committee must be realistic, well-justified and performance-driven.
