Former Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Tukur Buratai (retd.), has called on the Federal Government to declare a state of emergency on poverty in Northern Nigeria as part of efforts to tackle insecurity.
Buratai said military operations alone could not end terrorism without addressing the socio-economic conditions that make vulnerable youths susceptible to recruitment by extremist groups.
He identified poverty, unemployment, poor governance and illiteracy as factors contributing to the recruitment of young people by terrorist organisations, stressing that lasting peace required a combination of military operations and economic and social interventions.
The retired general made the call on Friday in Lagos during the public presentation of a book titled Beyond Military Force: A Strategy for Countering Terrorism in Nigeria, authored by Dr Joan Mbagwu, a Professor of Peace, Criminology and Security Studies at Chrisland University, Abeokuta, Ogun State.
Buratai, who attended the event as Guest of Honour, described the publication as an important contribution to Nigeria’s counter-terrorism efforts, arguing that the country needed to move beyond its traditional reliance on military force.
According to him, military operations could weaken terrorist groups but could not eliminate the underlying grievances that made individuals vulnerable to extremist recruitment.
“Military force, however professional, is a shield, not a substitute for governance. It can create the conditions for peace, but it cannot by itself build peace.
“It can degrade a terrorist group; it cannot alone remove the grievances of poverty, ignorance and manipulation from which such groups recruit,” he said.
Buratai, who served as Chief of Army Staff between 2015 and 2021, said Nigeria’s security challenges, particularly in the North-East and North-West, required both military and non-military interventions.
He identified intelligence gathering as a critical component of counter-insurgency operations, noting that security agencies needed to earn the confidence of communities to obtain useful information.
“No amount of firepower can compensate for poor intelligence. The community is often the best source of intelligence, but only when the community trusts the security agencies,” he said.
The former army chief also warned that security operations conducted without regard for human rights could undermine public confidence and provide terrorist organisations with propaganda materials for recruitment.
“We must understand that the way security operations are conducted is as important as the operations themselves. When communities are alienated, the security agencies lose the cooperation they need to succeed,” he added.
Buratai disclosed that the Nigerian Army reviewed its rules of engagement during his tenure and introduced human rights desks and other accountability mechanisms to promote professionalism and compliance with established standards.
He also called for stronger counter-terrorism capacity within the Nigeria Police Force, warning against the continuous deployment of the military to perform duties meant for civilian security institutions.
“The military is not the police; it is not the social welfare agency; it is not the school system. When the military is deployed to perform tasks that belong to civil authorities, it becomes overstretched, and the roots of the conflict remain untouched,” he stated.
On the rehabilitation and reintegration of former terrorists, Buratai supported credible deradicalisation programmes but cautioned that such initiatives must not undermine justice for victims of terrorism.
“Rehabilitation and reintegration are important, but we must not forget the victims. Communities affected by terrorism must be reassured that justice has been served,” he said.
He added that rehabilitation programmes should be transparent, properly monitored and designed to secure the confidence and cooperation of affected communities.
Drawing on his experience as commander of the Multinational Joint Task Force, headquartered in N’Djamena, Chad, Buratai advocated stronger regional security cooperation, noting that terrorist organisations, including Boko Haram and its affiliates, operated across national boundaries.
“Terrorism does not respect national boundaries. Therefore, our response must also go beyond national boundaries. We need stronger cooperation among countries sharing common security challenges,” he said.
He urged Nigeria to strengthen collaboration through the Economic Community of West African States, the African Union and countries within the Lake Chad Basin.
On his proposed emergency intervention on poverty in Northern Nigeria, Buratai said priority should be given to out-of-school children, the Almajiri system, youth unemployment, vocational training and social protection.
He, however, warned against allowing politicians and other influential individuals to hijack poverty reduction programmes for personal benefit.
“Poverty is not an excuse for terrorism, but it is a fertile ground for recruitment and manipulation. We must treat it with the seriousness it deserves,” he said.
Highlighting findings from the book, Buratai disclosed that field surveys were conducted in Adamawa, Borno, Yobe, Kano, Kebbi, Kogi and Niger states, as well as the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.
According to him, 86 per cent of respondents believed negotiation could be helpful in addressing terrorism, while 92 per cent agreed that community members could make significant contributions to intelligence gathering.
He added that 84 per cent of respondents linked terrorist recruitment to poor economic conditions and the Almajiri situation.
Buratai said the findings showed that tackling terrorism required more than military victories, emphasising that public confidence and legitimacy were essential to achieving lasting peace.
Earlier, the author, Mbagwu, said the book was conceived to challenge the conventional approach to counter-terrorism, which placed excessive emphasis on military operations.
“We cannot continue to look at terrorism only from the perspective of military force. We must also examine the conditions that allow terrorism to thrive and the factors that make individuals vulnerable to extremist ideologies,” she said.
The book was formally unveiled by retired Major General R.O. Yusuf.
Also speaking, the Chairman of the occasion, Olubunmi Ajala, commended Buratai for his commitment to security-related issues, describing the publication as a timely intervention amid Nigeria’s prevailing security challenges.
The event also featured the presentation of an award of appreciation to Buratai in recognition of his contributions to combating terrorism during his tenure as Chief of Army Staff.
