“The Military Is Not The Police, It Is Not The Social Welfare Agency–Buratai

According to a report by Punch, on Friday, November 6, 2026, former Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Tukur Buratai (retd.), has stated that military operations alone cannot bring an end to terrorism in Nigeria, emphasising the need to tackle poverty, unemployment, poor governance and other socio-economic challenges contributing to insecurity.

Buratai said addressing the country’s security problems requires more than the deployment of troops and weapons, noting that the government must also deal with the conditions that encourage terrorism and other forms of violence.

He made the remarks on Friday in Lagos during the public presentation of a book titled Beyond Military Force: A Strategy for Countering Terrorism in Nigeria.

According to the former army chief, although military operations remain necessary in confronting armed groups, achieving lasting peace requires a combination of military and non-military measures.

He argued that a comprehensive approach would help address both the immediate security threats and the underlying factors responsible for continued instability in different parts of the country.

Buratai, who served as Chief of Army Staff between 2015 and 2021, described the book as an important intellectual contribution to Nigeria’s efforts to counter terrorism.

He noted that the security challenges confronting the North-East and North-West required a broader strategy that went beyond the use of military weapons and operations.

According to him, military intervention remains an essential part of efforts to confront armed groups, but it cannot independently resolve all the problems associated with terrorism.

He stressed that poverty, unemployment and poor governance must also receive attention if the country hopes to achieve sustainable peace.

The former army chief maintained that the government and relevant institutions must recognise the relationship between socio-economic conditions and insecurity when developing strategies to address the country’s security challenges.

He also explained that military operations should form part of a wider national response rather than serve as the only approach to counter-terrorism.

The retired general further emphasised the importance of intelligence gathering and community participation in counter-insurgency operations.

He described local communities as indispensable partners in efforts to identify and confront terrorist activities, noting that security agencies depend on information and cooperation from residents in areas affected by violence.

Buratai said military and other security personnel could not achieve meaningful results without gaining the confidence of the communities they were deployed to protect.

He argued that residents should be treated as important participants in security operations because their cooperation can assist agencies in understanding local threats and gathering relevant intelligence.

According to him, effective counter-terrorism efforts require a relationship built on trust between security personnel and the people living in affected communities.

He maintained that without such cooperation, security agencies could face difficulties in obtaining the information needed to respond effectively to threats.

Buratai also warned that human rights violations during military operations could damage the relationship between security agencies and local communities.

He said abuses committed during security operations could create resentment among residents and weaken their willingness to cooperate with military personnel.

He further noted that terrorist organisations could use incidents of human rights violations as propaganda materials to attract new recruits and strengthen their influence.

The former army chief disclosed that the Nigerian Army reviewed its rules of engagement during his tenure to ensure that military operations complied with prevailing standards.

He said the army also introduced human rights desks and other accountability mechanisms as part of efforts to strengthen responsibility and ensure that personnel observed the required standards while carrying out their duties.

His remarks highlighted the need for security operations to consider human rights protection alongside the objective of confronting armed groups.

The former Chief of Army Staff also called for stronger counter-terrorism capacity within the Nigeria Police Force, arguing that the military should not continue to carry responsibilities traditionally assigned to civilian security institutions.

He maintained that the police and other relevant civilian agencies must be strengthened to perform their responsibilities effectively, rather than leaving the armed forces to handle challenges beyond their primary role.

Buratai explained that the military could become overstretched when deployed to perform duties that should ordinarily be handled by civil authorities.

He also argued that relying excessively on military operations could leave the underlying causes of conflict unresolved.

According to him, the country’s response to terrorism should involve different institutions working within their respective responsibilities, with the military providing necessary support while civilian agencies address issues within their mandates.

He made the call during the presentation of the book in Lagos, where he discussed the limitations of depending exclusively on military force to address insecurity.

Buratai reiterated that the military could not independently solve every problem associated with terrorism, stressing that sustainable peace would require cooperation between security agencies, government institutions and local communities.

He maintained that military operations should be supported by measures addressing poverty, unemployment, governance challenges and other conditions that contribute to insecurity.

The retired general also emphasised that the armed forces should not be expected to replace institutions responsible for policing, social welfare and education.

He said, “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.”

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