Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), General Olufemi Oluyede, on Tuesday disclosed that the military’s Special Intervention Forces are to be deployed to Kwara and parts of Niger State as the military intensifies efforts to curb rising insecurity in the North Central region.
Already, the Army has deployed the Chief of Army Staff (COAS) Special Intervention Battalion Force in Plateau State.
General Oluyede, who spoke during the 2025 budget appraisal and defence of the 2026 budget proposal before the House Committee on Defence, also called for urgent strengthening of the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) to consolidate gains recorded by the Armed Forces against insurgency and banditry.
He said while the military had made progress in clearing criminal elements from several areas, sustaining peace required adequately equipping the police and civil defence, which have larger personnel strength and wider community reach.
“If these institutions are strengthened, they can effectively hold and secure territories where the Armed Forces have succeeded,” the CDS said.
While noting that the security situation in the North-East is much better in the North-West, he, however, admitted that: “In the North-West, we have very big challenges. The same applies to some part of the North-Central, talking about Benue, Plateau, and even up to Kwara. But we’re evolving modalities to checkmate all these challenges within the ambit of the resources available to us.
“For instance, as I suggested, a new set of special forces that were trained in Doma were drafted to Benue and Plateau. Then we’re about integrating another Joint Task Force that will cover Kwara specifically and some part of Niger, that is the Bogu area.
“That’s going to be strengthened to ensure that that area gets better. The joint task force will be strengthened to ensure that the area gets better.
“The Joint Task Force will be named Savannah Shield. And, you know, the Joint Task Force commander has been appointed, and we’re trying to see how we can pull resources from other places to ensure that we cover that part.”
Oluyede stressed that the Armed Forces alone could not address Nigeria’s security challenges, citing manpower limitations and the strain caused by constant troop movements across multiple theatres of operation.
“The soldiers hardly have rest because we don’t have the numbers. That is why strengthening the police and civil defence is critical,” he said.
While assuring that the security mandates are being carried out “within the guidelines given to us by Mr President,” he stressed that “By and large, we expect that if we are supported more, we should be able to make Nigeria safer.
“But there are some other things that will need to be done by Nigerians generally. Like the last time I was at the Senate, I made it clear that it’s not possible for the armed forces of Nigeria to cover everywhere.
“So it’s important for us to enhance the capacity of other security agencies, especially, I repeat, especially the Police Force and the Civil Defence, because they have more men, they have better reach.
“So it’s important for us to ensure that these institutions are strengthened for Nigeria. And we need Nigeria to be safer. As I speak, if you go by the strength of the armed forces, the total strength of the armed forces, it is not possible for us to deploy everywhere in Nigeria. So it is, you know, I’m emphasising the fact that these institutions need to be strengthened generally.
“So that where we would have cleared, then these other agencies can cover the rest of Nigeria. Then these other agencies can cover the rest of Nigeria. Then these other agencies can cover the rest of Nigeria.
“Because, as we speak, what we are doing is moving from one theatre to another. The soldiers don’t have rest because we don’t have the numbers. Even though people will say, why not recruit more? Well, there’s more that is attached to that.
“For example, if you are recruiting, you have to think about how to ask them, how to keep them. And this costs, you know, among us some money. So it’s not just saying, okay, we want to recruit. I don’t have enough money for training.”
In the bid to achieve the feat, General Oluyede underscored the need for the “support of Nigerians generally, because these guys cannot thrive without the support of some Nigerians. They are the collaborators, they are the people who give them information regarding the movement of security forces. So for us to make Nigeria better, it’s important for all Nigerians to understand that security.”
Speaking earlier, Chairman, House Committee on Defence, Hon. Babajimi Benson described the budget defence engagement as “one of the most critical stages of the legislative appropriation process as it provides the platform for rigorous scrutiny, constructive engagement, and mutual accountability between the legislature and defence sector institutions in the overriding interest of national security.
“The defence and security sector continues to occupy a central place in Nigeria’s development discourse, and this session for the 2026 budget is convened at a defining moment in our nation’s security trajectory. No nation can make sustainable progress. No nation can make sustainable progress without guaranteeing the safety of lives, property, and critical national assets.
“We therefore acknowledge the considerable gains made by gallant armed officers and security agencies in degrading terrorist struggles, curtailing insurgency, and confronting criminality across various theatres of operation.”
While commending the Armed Forces for the sacrifices made often under extremely challenging conditions, he averred that “persistence of security threats underscores the need for deeper institutional reforms, improved coordination, and smarter deployment of scarce resources.
“The expectations of Nigerians are high, and rightly so. They demand results that translate into safer communities, restored livelihoods, and renewed confidence in the authority of the state.
“In response to these expectations, the National Assembly, within the limits of available national resources, has continued to accord priority to the defence and security sector in successive budgets.
“However, increased allocations must be matched with measurable outcomes, value for money, and strict adherence to principles of transparency and accountability. The era of imputed focused budgeting without commensurate impact is no longer acceptable. What Nigerians expect, and what this committee insists upon, are clearly defined outputs and outcomes. These outcomes reflect operational effectiveness and institutional efficiency.”
Hon. Benson, who observed that contemporary security challenges are dynamic and cannot be addressed through kinetic approaches alone, emphasised that sustainable peace requires a complementary, non-kinetic strategy.
“Issues such as poverty, youth unemployment, illiteracy, weak local governance, misinformation, community grievances, and ideological radicalisation continue to fuel insecurity across different parts of the country.
“Consequently, this committee strongly advocates a whole-of-government and whole-of-society approach to national security, where we invest significantly in strategic communication to counter extremist ideologies and win the hearts and minds of vulnerable communities.
“We must also fund community peace-building architectures that foster local intelligence, dialogue, and reconciliation. We must bolster cyber defence capabilities to protect our digital sovereignty. We must enhance the defence intelligence infrastructure for preemptive actions.
“Furthermore, we must see investment in border security technology, police reforms, and interagency data fusion centres as critical force multipliers. We must also encourage collaboration with relevant ministries, departments, and agencies at the federal, state, and local levels.
“The 2026 budget proposals before us must convincingly demonstrate a holistic balance between the sword and the plus share, between military might and the tools of sustainable peace. As we consider your proposals, we expect clear alignment with national security priorities and ongoing reforms in the defence sector.”
To this end, he tasked the Minister with the need to pay close attention to personnel welfare, training and capacity development, equipment maintenance and modernisation, intelligence capabilities, logistics, and sustainability of ongoing operations.
“Recurring issues such as abandoned projects, procurement inefficiencies, and delays in budget implementation must be decisively addressed. Let me also reiterate that the oversight remains a core responsibility of this committee. Appropriations approved by the National Assembly are public funds, and we shall continue to track their utilisation to ensure compliance with the Appropriations Act and external financial regulations.
“Accountability is not a punitive exercise. It is a shared obligation that strengthens public trust and enhances institutional credibility. Our oversight is therefore not an obstacle, but a necessary catalyst for efficiency and effectiveness.
“We stand ready to advocate for the resources you generally require to succeed. Let me repeat that. We stand ready to advocate for the resources you genuinely require to succeed. However, this partnership is predicated on mutual transparency, a shared vision, and an unyielding commitment to results.”
