- General Taoreed Lagbaja said that two million security personnel are insufficient for Nigeria's population of over 200 million
- Lagbaja pointed out the military's heavy reliance on imported defence equipment due to Nigeria's limited industrial capacity
- He raised concerns about inadequate funding for the Armed Forces of Nigeria, limiting operational capabilities
The Chief of Army Staff, General Taoreed Lagbaja, said it is impractical for two million security personnel to safeguard Nigerians with a population exceeding 200 million.
This was disclosed during the 2024 Distinguished Personality Lecture held in Ilorin, Kwara State on Tuesday, September 24 to commemorate the United Nations International Day of Peace.
Lagbaja highlights inadequacy of security forces
“In a country of over 200 million people, it is unrealistic to expect security agencies, totalling around two million, including an army of just over 100,000 active personnel without a reserve force, to secure the entire population,” Lagbaja stated.
The event, organised by the Centre for Peace and Strategic Studies at the University of Ilorin was in partnership with the Martin Luther Agwai International Leadership and Peacekeeping Centre in Jaji, Kaduna.
During the address, General Taoreed Lagbaja, represented by Chief of Army Training Sanni Mohammed, noted the military's heavy dependence on foreign defence equipment resulting from the country's limited industrial capacity.
Nigeria imports over 90 per cent of military needs - Lagbaja
“We import over 90 per cent of our military needs,” he said, noting that despite some local production efforts, the country’s dependence on foreign military supplies remains overwhelming.
He also raised alarms about the inadequate financial support for the Armed Forces of Nigeria (AFN), emphasising that this deficiency greatly hampers the military's operational capabilities.
“The pursuit of national development alongside national security is a costly endeavour, as defence policy is capital-intensive.
AFN budget set at $2.8 billion, not all funds released, Lagbaja
He further said, “In 2023, the entire AFN had a budget of about $2.8 billion, with an additional supplementary budget of around one billion dollars. However, not all budgetary allocations were fully released.
“Although funding for the AFN has been improving annually since 2017, the country’s economic downturn has eroded the actual value of what is released.
“The lack of funding affects the AFN’s equipment holdings, which directly impacts performance.”
National security requires citizen engagement, lagbaja
Speaking further about the lack of security personnel, Lagbaja said, “The considerable resource gap is being exploited by criminal elements. Addressing this requires investment in expanding and strengthening security forces, ensuring adequate personnel and resources.
“National security requires all citizens to be part of the security framework, fostering vigilance, trust, and community engagement. This will create a more resilient citizenry, better equipped to respond to national emergencies,” Lagbaja stated.
Military deploys troops to protect farmers in the North, as banditry, terrorism rise
Meanwhile, TheRadar earlier reported that the Federal Government deployed troops across the northern states to secure the farmers from terrorists, and other forms of criminal activity.
Some Northern states however said they didn't get military deployment as directed by the Defence Headquarters.