Nigeria’s former Chief of Defence Staff, General Lucky Irabor, has called on the Federal Government to declare a full-scale war against bandits and insurgents wreaking havoc across the country.
“Of course, there is a need to declare war in order to aggregate the elements of state power directly to the war effort,” the General said on Channels Television’s Politics Today on Monday.
According to him, no legal instruments indicate that Nigeria is currently at war, despite the escalating violence.
General Irabor emphasised that without a formal declaration of war, the government’s efforts to combat insecurity would lack the necessary legal backing and resources.
He noted that declaring war would enable the government to properly channel resources and establish accountability frameworks to track expenditures and ensure tangible results.
According to him, “It will make a huge difference because resourcing, of course, will now be properly channelled, and then accountability frameworks can now be properly outlined in such a manner that we’re able to see results for some of the expenditures that we make.
“By the way, let me also say that it is not just the military line of operation. We’re talking about the aggregate of the deployment of the elements of state power beyond just military power that will help us, ” he said.
Irabor stressed that tackling insecurity requires more than just military action, advocating for a comprehensive approach that incorporates government policies and social interventions.
He suggested that reducing the number of out-of-school children, unemployment, and poverty would help minimize the recruitment of vulnerable individuals by criminal groups.
General Irabor also emphasised the need for Nigerian leaders to avoid politicising security issues, noting that their actions and inactions contribute to the country’s insecurity.
He advocated for a shift from relying solely on military power to utilising government policies and social interventions to address the root causes of insecurity.
The call comes amid heightened concerns over the growing insecurity in Nigeria, particularly in the Northern regions, where bandits and insurgents have been responsible for numerous attacks, killings, and kidnappings.
President Bola Tinubu recently claimed that peace has returned to liberated communities in the North-East and North-West, but opposition parties have dismissed this assertion, citing ongoing violence and insecurity.
General Irabor also described the 2022 Abuja-Kaduna train abduction as one of the most challenging periods of his tenure.
The incident occurred on March 28, 2022, when gunmen bombed and derailed a passenger train near Katari in Kaduna State, killing at least eight people, injuring several, and abducting over 60 passengers.
General Irabor, who appeared on Channels Television’s Politics Today, said the incident tested the nation’s security apparatus and demanded his full experience as a military leader.
He revealed that the Defence Headquarters deployed extensive resources and strategies to secure the release of the abducted passengers.
Many abductees were released months later, reportedly after ransom payments, although authorities denied involvement ¹.
General Irabor also recounted other major security challenges during his tenure, including the fight against insurgency in the North-East and the protection of oil assets in the Niger Delta.
He emphasised the importance of stabilizing oil production, vital for Nigeria’s economic strength.
The former CDS noted that his experience in the North-East region drove his determination to ensure effective operations without losing teams.
Reflecting on life after service, General Irabor said he now enjoys more freedom to pursue personal goals.
“It’s now relieving and freer to do what I want,” he said, adding that his career experience inspired his new book, “Scars: Nigeria’s Journey and the Boko Haram Conundrum,” he said.
