Its unrealistic for 2m security personnel to protect over 200m Nigerians — COAS Lagbaja

Chief of Army Staff, Gen. Taoreed Lagbaja, has described the protection of over 200 million Nigerians by just two million security personnel as unrealistic.

The General made this statement during the 2024 Distinguished Personality Lecture held yesterday in Ilorin, Kwara State.

Represented by the Chief of Army Training, Sanni Mohammed, Gen. Lagbaja also discussed the military’s dependency on imported defense equipment, citing Nigeria’s weak industrial base as a contributing factor.

Additionally, he raised concerns over the insufficient funding of the Armed Forces of Nigeria (AFN), noting that it has a direct impact on the military’s overall operational effectiveness.

He said: “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.

“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.
“The pursuit of national development alongside national security is a costly endeavour, as defence policy is capital-intensive.

“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.”
Addressing the security personnel gap, 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.”

In his remarks, Vice Chancellor of the University of Ilorin, Professor Wahab Egbewole stressed the importance of peace and security for sustainable development.

The event, organised 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 held as part of activities marking the United Nations International Day of Peace.