Nigeria’s former Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Tukur Buratai (Retd.), has proposed a nationwide lockdown as a radical measure to curb the country’s deepening security challenges.
Speaking on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily on Friday, Buratai argued that a strategy similar to the COVID-19 lockdown could be deployed to flush out terrorists, bandits, and kidnappers who have continued to unleash violence across Nigeria.
“We can lock down this country to make sure everybody concentrates and deals with this cankerworm called terrorists, bandits, kidnappers, and so on,” he said.
Buratai, who served as Nigeria’s army chief between 2015 and 2021 before being appointed ambassador to Benin Republic, recalled his earlier warnings that the insurgency would persist for years without a long-term plan.
He stressed that insecurity requires nationwide mobilisation, not just military action.
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Drawing comparisons, he cited the heavy investment and collective effort during the COVID-19 pandemic and the unified response to last year’s Maiduguri flood as examples of how Nigeria can marshal resources against insecurity.
“When there is a national crisis, we need to mobilise everybody, not just the military alone,” Buratai added. “The same thing can be done to mobilise support for the North East and North West—psychologically, through the media, and by individuals supporting communities.”
His remarks come at a time of mounting public frustration over kidnappings, banditry, and terrorist attacks, with calls growing louder for more decisive action from the government.