Former Minister of Aviation, Osita Chidoka, has pushed back against the federal government’s strategy of mass recruitment to fight insecurity, arguing that Nigeria’s war on terror requires specialized tactical units rather than just more boots on the ground.
Speaking during an interview on Arise Television, Chidoka described the recent moves to recruit thousands of new soldiers and policemen as a “knee-jerk reaction” that ignores the specific demands of modern asymmetric warfare.
According to the former Corps Marshal of the Federal Road Safety Corps, the country’s security architecture is long overdue for an overhaul that prioritizes quality and specialization over quantity. He specifically advocated for the creation of “Special Forces” and “Forest Forces” designed to take the battle to the insurgents in their hideouts.
The case for a Forest Force
Chidoka expressed frustration that despite battling insurgency since 2008, the nation has not yet developed a dedicated force for the terrain where terrorists operate most freely.
“We have been at this since 2008 and should have a special force by now. We need a forest force, not more policemen and soldiers,” Chidoka stated.
He criticized the emergency declaration by President Bola Tinubu, which aims to recruit 50,000 soldiers and 20,000 police officers, noting that adding numbers without changing the strategy is ineffective.
“I think that is a knee-jerk reaction. I don’t think Nigeria’s war with terrorism has to do with more police or more soldiers. It is a shame that we have not gone to produce special forces against terrorism,” he added.
Lessons from Colombia
To bolster his argument, Chidoka drew parallels with Colombia’s successful restructuring during its own internal conflicts. He noted that the South American nation didn’t just expand its regular army; it evolved its tactics.
“When Colombia faced this problem, they created the Jungle Force, a specialized unit trained and supported by the U.S. Navy. They had helicopters, their own intelligence system, and a strike force,” he explained.
The budget reality check
Beyond strategy, Chidoka pointed out the fiscal imbalance in the current system. He argued that the current police force is already heavy on personnel costs but starved of operational funds, a situation that mass recruitment would only worsen.
Analyzing the 2025 budget, he highlighted a worrying disparity: “If you look at the police budget of 2025, it’s over 1.2 trillion naira, of which about 1.1 trillion is for salaries. Only 97 billion, or thereabout, is for overhead.”
The data suggests that while the government pays a massive wage bill, there is little funding left for the training, equipment, and intelligence gathering necessary to actually fight crime and terrorism.
Chidoka’s comments have sparked a fresh conversation on whether Nigeria needs a larger army or a smarter, more agile one capable of dominating the forests where insecurity thrives.
