Military Deployment for Internal Security Operations Weakening Police Capacity — Buratai Warns
A former Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Tukur Buratai (retd.), has cautioned that the growing reliance on the military for internal security operations across Nigeria, while offering short-term stability, is weakening the Nigeria Police Force and other civilian security agencies.
Military personnel are currently deployed across the country, including the Federal Capital Territory, in support of internal security duties. However, Buratai warned that this widespread presence is gradually eroding the development, effectiveness and independence of institutions constitutionally mandated to lead internal security operations.
Buratai spoke on Monday while delivering the keynote address at the 2026 Armed Forces Celebrations and Remembrance Day lecture in Abuja. He said the persistent deployment of troops in all 36 states has created a dependency that undermines the growth of the police and internal intelligence agencies.
“The extensive deployment of the Armed Forces of Nigeria in internal security provides immediate stability, but it also perpetuates a cycle of dependency that weakens civil police capacity and strains defence resources,” he said.
According to him, the situation has resulted in a dangerous imbalance, with the military overstretched, defence budgets diverted to routine policing duties, and the Armed Forces’ preparedness for conventional and external threats gradually reduced.
Buratai recalled that the Constitution assigns the Armed Forces the primary responsibility of defending Nigeria against external aggression, protecting its territorial integrity, suppressing insurrection and providing aid to civil authorities when necessary. He stressed, however, that internal security should largely be civil-driven and intelligence-led, with the police and state security services taking the lead.
“Internal security, more or less, should be civil-driven and intelligence-driven by the state intelligence services and the police, essentially,” he said.
He warned that while the military remains a critical stabilising force, its expanded internal security role must not permanently replace its core mandate or weaken civilian institutions.
“The Armed Forces of Nigeria remain a vital force for national development and stability, but its expanded internal role must not compromise its primary responsibility of defending the nation against external threats,” Buratai added.
The former army chief called for a clear, time-bound and conditions-based exit strategy that would gradually transfer internal security responsibilities back to civilian authorities, while preserving the military’s operational readiness.
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According to him, Nigeria’s long-term security and democratic stability depend on strong, professional and well-equipped police and intelligence services, with the military deployed internally only in exceptional circumstances.
Earlier at the event, the Minister of Defence, Gen. Christopher Musa (retd.), called for a coordinated crackdown on the use of local transportation systems by criminal networks to move weapons, drugs and other illicit materials across the country.
Musa said addressing the challenge requires the collective involvement of local governments, traditional rulers, religious leaders and community members, stressing that security is a shared responsibility beyond the armed forces alone.
“Security is a shared responsibility. Local governments, traditional rulers, religious leaders and communities all have critical roles to play,” he said.
He added that stakeholders must work together to disrupt criminal networks that exploit informal transport routes to move weapons and illicit goods across states and borders, noting that effective community engagement remains essential to achieving long-term security.
The defence minister reaffirmed the Federal Government’s commitment to building a stronger, more professional and self-reliant Nigerian Armed Forces. He said the Ministry of Defence is prioritising troop welfare, training, doctrine and indigenous defence production to enhance national security.
Musa noted that Nigeria has made steady progress in locally manufacturing defence equipment, reducing dependence on foreign suppliers while strengthening the country’s defence industrial base and creating jobs.
“Our goal is to develop sustainable, long-term defence capabilities while reducing reliance on external sources,” he said, adding that policy reforms and new legislative frameworks are encouraging private sector participation, deepening local content and driving innovation in the defence sector.
He also commended the Chief of Defence Staff, the Service Chiefs and personnel of the Armed Forces for their professionalism and sacrifices, assuring Nigerians of the military’s resolve and capacity to safeguard the country.
“Our Armed Forces have the will, the resolve and the capability to defeat enemies of the state and protect our people,” Musa said, noting that enhanced naval operations and improved maritime domain awareness have helped curb criminal activities and protect critical national assets.
His remarks came amid persistent security threats from bandits, armed groups and criminal networks that exploit informal transport systems to move fighters, weapons and illicit goods nationwide, with the government seeking to cut off these channels as part of broader efforts to address insecurity.
By PRNigeria
