A former Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Tukur Buratai (retd.), has argued that Nigeria’s insecurity crisis is deeply rooted in politics and cannot be solved by the military alone.
Naija News reports that Buratai, who served under ex-President Muhammadu Buhari, stated this on Thursday while speaking as a guest on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily.
According to him, political actors who played a role in the emergence of insecurity have since withdrawn, leaving the burden to the Armed Forces.
He said, “It was started through some political actors, and it was essentially a political issue. This insecurity is essentially political. And now it’s been left to the military, and the political actors are staying behind.
“So, this is something that is needed for a total review of the security aspect in terms of political associations or political involvement and so on.”
The former Army Chief insisted that tackling insecurity requires a comprehensive strategy that goes beyond military action.
“It’s very clear that apart from the military, we have the economic line, we have the social line, we have the political line, very important,” he stressed.
Buratai identified economic hardship as one of the factors fuelling crime, including kidnapping, banditry, and attacks on communities.
Dismissing claims that the military was hindering progress, Buratai maintained that the troops remained a critical part of the solution.
“They are the solution, one aspect of the solution, and they will play their role very well if they have good support,” he said.
He cautioned against demoralising soldiers who continue to confront terrorists and bandits across the country.
Buratai warned, “You cannot demoralize him.
“If you demoralize him, or you despise him, make things difficult for him, then you are endangering his life and that of his family, and you are endangering the life of the whole of Nigerians.”
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