The Chief of Army Staff, General Taoreed Lagbaja, stated yesterday that it is impractical for two million security personnel to safeguard Nigeria’s population of over 200 million.
He made this assertion during the 2024 Distinguished Personality Lecture held in Ilorin, Kwara State.
Represented by the Chief of Army Training, Sanni Mohammed, Gen. Lagbaja emphasized the Nigerian military’s dependence on imported defense equipment due to the nation’s underdeveloped industrial base.
He expressed concern over the inadequate funding of the Armed Forces of Nigeria (AFN), which has had a significant impact on the military’s operational effectiveness.
He said: “In a country of over 200 million people, it is unrealistic to expect security agencies, with a total of around two million personnel, including just over 100,000 active army personnel without a reserve force, to effectively secure the entire population.”
He added that Nigeria imports more than 90 percent of its military equipment, and despite some efforts at local production, the country remains heavily dependent on foreign supplies.
Lagbaja also noted the financial challenges faced by the military, explaining that “the pursuit of national development alongside national security is a costly endeavor, as defense policy is capital-intensive.”
He highlighted that, although the AFN’s budget for 2023 was approximately $2.8 billion, with an additional supplementary budget of $1 billion, not all allocated funds were released.
Since 2017, funding for the military has improved, but the country’s economic challenges have reduced the real value of the funds received, affecting equipment holdings and, consequently, operational performance.
On the security personnel gap, he 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.”
He also called for greater citizen involvement in national security, encouraging vigilance, trust, and community engagement to create a more resilient society capable of responding to national emergencies.
In his remarks, the Vice Chancellor of the University of Ilorin, Professor Wahab Egbewole, highlighted the importance of peace and security for sustainable development.
The event, organized by the Centre for Peace and Strategic Studies at the University of Ilorin in collaboration with the Martin Luther Agwai International Leadership and Peacekeeping Centre, Jaji, was part of activities commemorating the United Nations International Day of Peace.
