Former Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Tukur Buratai (retd.), has cautioned that the heavy deployment of soldiers for internal security duties across Nigeria is undermining the growth and effectiveness of the Nigeria Police Force and other civilian security agencies.
Buratai raised the concern on Monday while delivering the keynote address at the 2026 Armed Forces Celebration and Remembrance Day lecture in Abuja. He noted that military personnel are now stationed in all 36 states of the federation, including the Federal Capital Territory, to support internal security operations.
According to him, while the involvement of the Armed Forces of Nigeria in internal security operations has helped to provide short-term stability, it has also created long-term institutional challenges.
“The extensive deployment of the Armed Forces of Nigeria in internal security provides immediate stability, but it also perpetuates a cycle of dependency that weakens civil police capacity and strains defence resources,” Buratai said.
He warned that the growing reliance on the military for routine internal security duties has resulted in an unhealthy imbalance, leaving the Armed Forces overstretched and diverting defence resources away from their primary responsibilities.
Buratai explained that the trend has reduced the military’s preparedness to respond to conventional and external threats, as funds and manpower meant for defence are increasingly channelled into policing roles.
He recalled that the Constitution clearly outlines the responsibilities of the Armed Forces, including defending Nigeria against external aggression, safeguarding territorial integrity, suppressing insurrection and providing assistance to civil authorities when necessary.
However, he stressed that internal security should not become a permanent military function, insisting that it must remain civilian-led and intelligence-driven, with the Nigeria Police Force and relevant security services taking the lead.
“Internal security, more or less, should be civil-driven and intelligence-driven by the state intelligence services and the police, essentially,” he said.
The former army chief further warned that developmental and internal security roles should not displace the military’s core mandate of national defence.
“The Armed Forces of Nigeria remains a vital force for national development and stability, but its expanded internal role must not compromise its core mandate or weaken civilian institutions,” Buratai added.
He called on the government to develop a clear, time-bound and conditions-based exit strategy that would gradually transfer internal security responsibilities back to civilian authorities, while ensuring the military remains adequately prepared to defend the country against external threats.
