Former Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Tukur Buratai (rtd), has advocated a major expansion and modernisation of the Nigeria Police Force, urging that it be fully empowered to assume primary responsibility for internal security and ease the burden placed on the military in routine law enforcement duties.
Buratai made the call on Monday, the 12th of January, 2026, in Abuja while speaking at the National Symposium/Lecture Series organised as part of activities marking the 2026 Armed Forces Celebration and Remembrance Day (AFCRD). He delivered a lecture titled ‘Securing Nigeria’s Future: The Armed Forces and National Development.’
According to the retired army chief, the police must undergo thorough professionalisation backed by a well-funded, multi-year reform programme aimed at increasing its strength to about 1.5 million personnel, while equipping the force to independently manage internal security challenges across the country.
He also stressed the need for far-reaching reforms within Nigeria’s security and governance framework, describing them as essential to ensuring long-term national stability and safety. Buratai noted that such reforms would allow the armed forces to refocus on their core mandate of high-intensity combat operations and external defence, while also serving as a driver of national development.
The former ambassador to the Benin Republic outlined five major policy priorities to convert Nigeria’s defence aspirations into measurable outcomes. Among them was the creation of a National Defence Innovation Fund (NDIF), to be supported through public-private partnerships, for financing research and development in key dual-use technologies. These include cyber defence systems, unmanned aerial platforms, satellite communications, and renewable energy solutions for forward operating bases.
He explained that the initiative would ensure defence spending stimulates innovation within the wider civilian technology ecosystem.
On human capital development, Buratai proposed a restructured National Service and Veterans’ Framework, recommending the transformation of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) into a compulsory national service scheme offering both military and civic tracks. He said the approach would promote skills development, national integration, and improved employment prospects after service.
He further called for the enactment of a Veterans’ Rights and Transition Act to guarantee prompt pension payments, access to healthcare, skills reorientation programmes, and legal protection for retired military personnel.
Buratai also recommended the formal establishment of permanent civil-military cooperation (CIMIC) directorates within the Ministry of Defence and service headquarters. He said this would provide an organised framework for collaboration with civilian ministries during post-conflict reconstruction, while preventing the military from overstepping its mandate.
On the regional front, he underscored the importance of deepening multilateral security collaboration through mechanisms such as the Multinational Joint Task Force and the Gulf of Guinea maritime security framework, noting that collective action remains vital in tackling cross-border threats and sustaining regional stability.
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He concluded that a coordinated strategy combining defence reforms, internal security restructuring, and regional cooperation would enable Nigeria to better utilise its resources, reinforce national cohesion, and secure a more prosperous future.
Earlier, the Minister of Defence, General Christopher Musa (rtd), reaffirmed the Federal Government’s resolve to build a professional and resilient armed forces capable of protecting Nigeria’s sovereignty while contributing to national development.
Musa said the ministry remains focused on improving troop welfare, strengthening training programmes, refining military doctrine, and expanding local defence production to ensure sustainable security capabilities.
He added that ongoing policy and legislative reforms are revitalising indigenous defence industries, attracting private sector investment, generating employment, deepening local content, and reducing the nation’s dependence on foreign defence suppliers.