The Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), Olufemi Oluyede has called for the urgent reinforcement of the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) to consolidate the Armed Forces’ gains in the fight against insurgency, banditry, and other security threats across the country.
Mr Oluyede made the appeal during the 2025 budget appraisal and defence of the 2026 budget proposal at the House of Representatives on Tuesday.
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He emphasised that while the military has achieved significant successes, the police and civil defence, owing to their larger personnel base and deeper community reach, must be equipped to maintain security in areas cleared 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,” Mr Oluyede said.
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The CDS provided an overview of current security challenges, disclosing that special forces were set to be deployed to Kwara State and parts of Niger State to tackle a recent surge in insecurity. He stressed that the armed forces alone cannot resolve the nation’s security problems.
Renewed efforts, he said, were also underway to address persistent threats in the Middle Belt, particularly in Benue and Plateau states, by targeting insurgents’ hideouts directly.
“We are doing everything within our capacity to ensure that Nigeria becomes safer,” Mr Oluyede said. “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.”
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He further revealed that a new Joint Task Force, code-named Operation Savannah Shield, would soon be inaugurated to cover Kwara State and parts of Niger State. Additional special forces had already been deployed to Benue and Plateau.
Mr Oluyede also noted ongoing partnerships with allied countries to improve intelligence gathering, assuring that such collaborations are aligned with presidential directives and safeguard Nigeria’s sovereignty.
“The soldiers hardly have rest because we don’t have the numbers,” Mr Oluyede said, stressing the logistical and welfare challenges associated with recruiting additional personnel. “Strengthening the police and civil defence is critical. They have more men and better reach to fill the gaps after military operations.”
Lawmakers call for holistic security strategies
Earlier, the Chairman of the House Committee on Defence, Babajimi Benson (APC, Lagos), highlighted that contemporary security challenges cannot be addressed through military action alone.
He acknowledged gains by the armed forces but emphasised the need for complementary non-kinetic strategies, including community engagement, intelligence infrastructure, and cyber and border security.
“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,” Mr Benson said.
He stressed that deeper institutional reforms, improved inter-agency coordination, and smarter allocation of scarce resources were essential. Increased budgetary allocations must also yield measurable outcomes, transparency, and value for money.
“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,” Mr Benson said.
The lawmaker advocated a whole-of-government and whole-of-society approach, calling for investments in strategic communication, community peacebuilding, defence intelligence, cyber defence, border security technology, police reforms, and inter-agency data fusion centres.
Mr Benson further stated that the 2026 defence budget must clearly balance military strength with tools for sustainable peace. He said submissions before the committee must be realistic, well-justified, and performance-driven, with particular focus on personnel welfare, training, equipment maintenance, logistics support, and continuity of military operations.
“Recurring issues such as abandoned projects, procurement inefficiencies, and delays in budget implementation must be decisively addressed,” he said.
The committee chairman reaffirmed the House of Representatives’ commitment to national security, peace, and unity, pledging support for initiatives aimed at deepening local defence production, research and development, improved personnel welfare, and modernisation of the defence architecture.
“These efforts are driven by our conviction that a strong, professional, and well-motivated military is indispensable to national stability,” Mr Benson said.
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