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Buratai, who served as Chief of Army Staff between 2015 and 2021, said Nigeria’s security challenges, particularly in the North-East and North-West, required a combination of military and non-military interventions
KaNo—
Former Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Tukur Buratai (retd.), has called on the Federal Government to declare a state of emergency on poverty in Northern Nigeria as part of efforts to address terrorism and insecurity across the country.
Buratai said military operations alone could not end terrorism without tackling poverty, unemployment, illiteracy, poor governance and other socio-economic challenges that made vulnerable youths susceptible to recruitment by extremist groups.
He made the call on Friday in Lagos during the public presentation of a book titled, “Beyond Military Force: A Strategy for Countering Terrorism in Nigeria,” authored by a Professor of Peace, Criminology and Security Studies at Chrisland University, Abeokuta, Ogun State, Dr Joan Ugo Mbagwu.
The retired army chief, who was the Guest of Honour at the event, described the publication as an important intellectual contribution to Nigeria’s counter-terrorism efforts, stressing the need for the country to move beyond its traditional reliance on military force in addressing insecurity.
According to him, sustainable peace could not be achieved through military operations without effective governance, economic opportunities, community engagement and regional cooperation.
Buratai, who served as Chief of Army Staff between 2015 and 2021, said Nigeria’s security challenges, particularly in the North-East and North-West, required a combination of military and non-military interventions.
He explained that while military operations could weaken terrorist organisations, they could not independently address the underlying conditions that enabled extremist groups to recruit and sustain their activities.
He said, “Military force, however professional, is a shield, not a substitute for governance. It can create the conditions for peace, but it cannot by itself build peace.
“It can degrade a terrorist group; it cannot alone remove the grievances of poverty, ignorance and manipulation from which such groups recruit.”
The former army chief identified intelligence gathering as a critical component of counter-insurgency operations, noting that security agencies needed the confidence and cooperation of local communities to obtain useful information about criminal and extremist activities.
He argued that residents were often better positioned to provide intelligence on suspicious movements and activities within their communities, but warned that mistrust between civilians and security agencies could undermine such cooperation.
“No amount of firepower can compensate for poor intelligence. The community is often the best source of intelligence, but only when the community trusts the security agencies,” he said.
Buratai also cautioned that security operations conducted without respect for human rights could weaken public confidence in government institutions and provide terrorist organisations with propaganda materials to attract new recruits.
He maintained that the conduct of security personnel during operations was as important as the operations themselves, adding that communities that experienced abuses or indiscriminate actions could become reluctant to cooperate with security agencies.
“We must understand that the way security operations are conducted is as important as the operations themselves. When communities are alienated, the security agencies lose the cooperation they need to succeed,” he said.
He disclosed that the Nigerian Army reviewed its rules of engagement during his tenure and introduced human rights desks and other accountability mechanisms to promote professionalism and ensure compliance with established standards.
The retired general further called for the strengthening of the Nigeria Police Force‘s counter-terrorism capacity, warning against the continued deployment of the military to perform responsibilities ordinarily assigned to civilian security institutions.
According to him, the military’s prolonged involvement in internal security operations could overstretch its personnel while leaving the underlying causes of insecurity unresolved.
“The military is not the police; it is not the social welfare agency; it is not the school system. When the military is deployed to perform tasks that belong to civil authorities, it becomes overstretched, and the roots of the conflict remain untouched,” he stated.
On the rehabilitation and reintegration of former terrorists, Buratai supported credible deradicalisation programmes but emphasised that such interventions must not undermine justice for victims and communities affected by terrorism.
He said rehabilitation efforts should be transparent, properly monitored and designed to secure the confidence of affected communities.
“Rehabilitation and reintegration are important, but we must not forget the victims. Communities affected by terrorism must be reassured that justice has been served,” he said.
Drawing from his experience as commander of the Multinational Joint Task Force headquartered in N’Djamena, Chad, Buratai also advocated stronger regional security cooperation to address the activities of terrorist organisations operating across national boundaries.
He cited Boko Haram and its affiliates as examples of groups whose operations required coordinated responses from countries sharing common security challenges.
He urged Nigeria to strengthen collaboration with neighbouring countries through the Economic Community of West African States, the African Union and countries within the Lake Chad Basin.
“Terrorism does not respect national boundaries. Therefore, our response must also go beyond national boundaries. We need stronger cooperation among countries sharing common security challenges,” he said.
However, the former army chief maintained that addressing poverty and unemployment in Northern Nigeria should form a major part of the country’s broader security strategy.
He said a proposed state of emergency on poverty should prioritise out-of-school children, reform of the Almajiri system, youth unemployment, vocational training and social protection programmes.
Buratai warned that poverty reduction initiatives must be protected against political interference and the diversion of resources by influential individuals who might seek to use such programmes for personal gains.
He stressed that economic deprivation, although not an excuse for terrorism, created conditions that extremist groups could exploit to manipulate and recruit vulnerable individuals.
“Poverty is not an excuse for terrorism, but it is a fertile ground for recruitment and manipulation. We must treat it with the seriousness it deserves,” he said.
Highlighting findings from the research contained in the book, Buratai disclosed that field surveys were conducted in Adamawa, Borno, Yobe, Kano, Kebbi, Kogi and Niger states, as well as the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.
According to him, 86 per cent of respondents believed negotiation could be helpful in addressing terrorism, while 92 per cent agreed that community members could make significant contributions to intelligence gathering.
He added that 84 per cent of respondents linked terrorist recruitment to poor economic conditions and the Almajiri situation.
Buratai said the findings reinforced the need for a comprehensive approach to tackling insecurity, noting that military victories alone would not guarantee lasting peace without public confidence, effective governance and socio-economic development.
Earlier, the author, Mbagwu, said the book was conceived to challenge the conventional approach to counter-terrorism, which she said placed excessive emphasis on military operations while paying insufficient attention to the conditions that allowed terrorism to thrive.
She argued that addressing the factors that made individuals vulnerable to extremist ideologies was necessary to develop sustainable solutions to Nigeria’s security challenges.
“We cannot continue to look at terrorism only from the perspective of military force. We must also examine the conditions that allow terrorism to thrive and the factors that make individuals vulnerable to extremist ideologies,” she said.
The book was formally unveiled by retired Major General R.O. Yusuf.
Also speaking, the Chairman of the occasion, Olubunmi Ajala, commended Buratai for his continued engagement with security-related issues, describing the publication as a timely contribution amid Nigeria’s prevailing security challenges.
The event also featured the presentation of an award of appreciation to Buratai in recognition of his contributions to combating terrorism during his tenure as Chief of Army Staff.
