TUKUR BURATAI CALLS FOR URGENT ACTION TO PREVENT FURTHER SECURITY BREAKDOWN

Former Chief of Army Staff, retired Lt.-Gen. TUKUR BURATAI, has warned that Nigeria’s security challenges could worsen significantly if urgent and decisive measures are not implemented, cautioning that top political officeholders may increasingly become targets of criminal groups.

In a statement titled, “A Frank and Patriotic Advice on Nigeria’s Escalating Security Crisis,” BURATAI reacted to reports concerning the abduction and killing of senior military officer, Maj.-Gen. RABE ABUBAKAR, describing the incident as a troubling indication of the growing strength and boldness of non-state actors.

He noted that the killing of a high-ranking military officer highlights a serious weakening of deterrence and should serve as a wake-up call for authorities at all levels, warning that if the trend continues unchecked, future targets could include ministers, senators and state governors.

The former Nigerian Ambassador to the Benin Republic urged the Federal Government to reassess its current security strategy, arguing that criminal groups now possess sophisticated intelligence networks, advanced weaponry and operational capabilities that increasingly challenge state authority.

He further called for an end to negotiations with bandits and insurgents, advocating instead for sustained military and intelligence operations aimed at dismantling terrorist and criminal networks, while urging state governors to play a more active role in combating insecurity by supporting state policing initiatives, strengthening vetted vigilante groups and improving community-based intelligence gathering.