…Says Nigeria Lacks Legal Backing to Fight Insurgents
By Frontline Reporters
Nigeria’s former Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), General Lucky Irabor (rtd), has called on the Federal Government to formally declare war against terrorists and bandits ravaging communities across the country, warning that Nigeria cannot defeat insurgency while “pretending” it is not at war.
Speaking to newsmen on Monday, the ex-military chief made a startling revelation — that no legal instrument currently designates Nigeria as a country at war, despite the years of bloodshed and nationwide insecurity.
“There are no legal instruments indicating that Nigeria is at war. There’s none; we’re only assuming that we are,” Irabor said. “Of course, there is a need to declare war in order to aggregate the elements of state power directly to the war effort.”
According to him, a formal declaration would empower the government to mobilise national resources, ensure accountability, and establish a clear framework for combating terrorists and bandits.
“Declaring war will make a huge difference because resources will now be properly channelled, and accountability frameworks clearly defined so that Nigerians can see results for the money spent,” he added.
Irabor, who led Nigeria’s armed forces during some of the most intense counterinsurgency operations, emphasised that tackling insecurity requires more than guns and bullets. He urged government to deploy the full weight of state power, including economic, diplomatic, and social strategies, to achieve lasting peace.
“It is not just about the military line of operation,” he noted. “We need the aggregate of the deployment of all elements of state power beyond military power.”
On funding, the retired general stressed that security is costly and must be properly financed. He dismissed claims that the military was profiting from the insecurity crisis, saying such narratives were unfair and demoralising to troops.
Irabor also blamed political interference and partisanship for worsening the security situation, urging leaders to rise above politics in matters of national safety.
The former CDS, who recently launched his book “Scars: Nigeria’s Journey and the Boko Haram Conundrum,” further called for policies targeting the root causes of insecurity — poverty, joblessness, and illiteracy.
“If we reduce the number of out-of-school children and provide jobs for the unemployed, we will shrink the pool of vulnerable youths that criminals recruit,” he said.
Across several northern states, waves of attacks by bandits have left hundreds dead and entire communities displaced. Yet, President Bola Tinubu, in his Independence Day broadcast, insisted that the armed forces are “winning the war” against terrorism.
“Peace has returned to hundreds of liberated communities in the North-West and North-East,” Tinubu said. “Our soldiers are winning through their blood and sweat to stamp out Boko Haram, IPOB/ESN terror, and banditry.”
But Irabor’s remarks appear to challenge that optimism, painting a picture of a nation still fighting without a clear declaration — and without a unified war strategy.
