Former Bayelsa State Governor and Senator representing Bayelsa West, Henry Seriake Dickson, has blamed the collapse of Nigeria’s internal security system for the increasing deployment of the military across the country, warning that the armed forces have become overstretched by responsibilities outside their primary constitutional mandate.
Dickson made the remarks on Tuesday at the First Daily National Dialogue on Security, organised as part of activities marking First Daily Media Network’s sixth anniversary, in Abuja.
The former governor said while the military is constitutionally established to defend Nigeria’s territorial integrity, the deterioration of the police system and other internal security institutions has compelled it to assume a leading role in combating internal threats.
“The military’s primary responsibility is territorial integrity. Internal security was only meant to be a subsidiary mandate, but it has now become the main focus because the military is deployed everywhere,” he said.
Dickson said the situation has overstretched the armed forces, arguing that Nigeria’s security challenges cannot be addressed by military deployments alone.
His remarks come as military personnel continue to support police operations in many parts of the country, including areas affected by insurgency, banditry, kidnapping and communal violence. Successive administrations have increasingly relied on the armed forces for internal security operations as attacks by non-state actors intensified and concerns mounted over the capacity of the police to contain the threats.
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The senator called for far-reaching reforms of Nigeria’s security architecture, including legislative measures to strengthen institutions responsible for internal security.
According to him, tackling insecurity requires addressing the underlying causes of criminality rather than relying solely on force.
“It’s not just military, military, military. It’s better to fight the causes of criminality,” Dickson said.
He also stressed the need for sustained national dialogue on security, noting that Nigeria had yet to engage in sufficiently robust conversations capable of producing lasting solutions to the country’s security challenges.
Dickson commended First Daily Media Network for convening the dialogue, describing it as an important platform for stakeholders to exchange ideas on strengthening Nigeria’s security framework.