Retired Army Leaders Endorse Emergency Measures Against Terror Threat

Several former high-ranking military officials have thrown their weight behind a proposal from ex-Chief of Defence Staff, General Lucky Irabor, to impose a state of emergency in order to tackle the ongoing Boko Haram uprising more forcefully.

In his recent publication titled ‘Scars: Nigeria’s Journey and the Boko Haram Conundrum’, Irabor highlighted how a lack of firm resolve from leaders has stalled efforts to curb the violence. He suggested that lawmakers approving such a step would rally every aspect of the nation’s strength to bring the conflict to a close.

During his time as head of the armed forces under the previous government, Irabor pointed out that without this bold move, leaders had failed to treat the insurgency as a full-scale war. He explained that such a declaration, supported by parliament, would sharpen focus and unite economic, political, social, diplomatic, informational, and military resources under clear leadership.

Irabor emphasised that while battlefield successes matter, they mean little without strong oversight from the top. He warned that isolated wins on the ground rarely lead to lasting peace in broader political struggles.

Even after suffering heavy losses, including the deaths of key figures and capture of many fighters, the group has ramped up strikes in the northern areas, leading to massive damage and people forced from their homes.

Just last week, militants overran the frontier settlement of Kirawa in Borno State, driving thousands across the border into Cameroon for safety. The raid wrecked an army outpost, numerous houses, and the local chief’s residence. Reports indicate more than 5,000 individuals sought refuge abroad due to these assaults.

Insurgents also raided a military camp in the same state, claiming the lives of four troops and torching gear. Forces managed to fend off a joint assault on outposts in Banki, though one officer suffered a slight wound.

Borno’s governor, Babagana Zulum, has pressed for stronger troop numbers in edge communities to bolster protection. Over 2.2 million citizens still live as refugees within the country.

The fighters’ skill in mounting group raids has put huge strain on defence teams. The human cost keeps mounting, with villages cut off from basics like food and shelter.

Brigadier General Peter Aro, now retired, praised the idea as spot-on, drawing from his years in key roles. He argued that a real, law-backed crisis response would bring order and speed to the battle against rebels.

Aro added that Irabor’s view comes from someone who has seen the ground, the plans, and the bigger picture up close. He stressed the need for a true lockdown on normal affairs, letting security lead without meddling from officials. This, he said, would streamline teamwork, speed up supplies, and clarify who calls the shots, allowing forces to move sharply and honestly.

Major General Dayo Olukoju, also out of service, agreed on the urgency but called for wider teamwork beyond borders to hit at the heart of the problem. He recalled holding a captured fighter in Maiduguri who showed no regret, underscoring the need for input from top figures, community heads, faith leaders, and troops alike.

Olukoju listed deep issues like personal rights and belonging as fuels for the unrest, warning that ignoring them risks fresh outbreaks. While backing the emergency plan fully, he urged going deeper to uproot the causes.

Colonel Saka Folusho, retired, saw no harm in the emergency step for the safety woes. Yet he cautioned it alone won’t fix things unless leaders curb the illegal flow of weapons feeding the chaos.

Folusho noted that sellers of bullets chase big profits from buyers, likening it to self-harm for those meant to guard the nation. He pushed for officers to get straight tasks, proper tools, and fair wages, not the slim pay of 50,000 naira that leaves them short.

He welcomed army steps to grow home-made gear but said they must push harder and longer.

The Northern Elders Forum echoed the push for crisis rules on unrest in the north. Spokesman Professor Abubakar Jiddere said in a talk that they had raised this twice before, and now leaders must act by surging troops and officers into hot spots.

This wouldn’t mean halting local rule but flooding areas like Zamfara, Katsina, Niger, Kwara, Benue, and Borno with armed units for tough action. Jiddere called it a country-wide alarm needing heavy defences to end the cycle.

Officials in Abuja stayed quiet on Irabor’s suggestion, with the information minister, Mohammed Idris, pledging a reply that hadn’t come by report time.

Borno’s information and security commissioner, Professor Usman Tar, shrugged it off, saying Irabor can voice his thoughts freely, and to seek more from him directly.

Meanwhile, lawmaker Kwamoti Laori from Adamawa’s Demsa, Numan, and Lamurde area argued that only regional police forces can truly sort the safety mess. Chatting in Yola, the Peoples Democratic Party representative recalled how it worked well in the 1960s.

In his home spot of Numan, locals had so-called Friday police who patrolled market days alongside national ones. Wrongdoers feared them since they knew faces, homes, and haunts, making crime risky and traceable.

To avoid misuse by politicians, Laori suggested laws let villages pick recruits they trust, who stay local and spot troublemakers from the start.

In another twist, the African Democratic Congress slammed President Bola Tinubu for ignoring the rising dangers nationwide. In a Sunday message on X from publicity head Bolaji Abdullahi, the group accused him of dodging his duty as armed forces chief amid climbing raids and deaths.

They blasted his time at parties and rallies while attacks surge, calling it careless and out of touch. In Kwara, nine once-calm districts faced bandit hits, with folks made to hand over meals, drinks, cash, and goods as payoffs.

A like raid in Kogi left travellers dead and many, including women and kids, snatched. Over 180 northern schools sit empty from threats, and grabs, murders, and uprootings grow in Plateau, Zamfara, Benue, Niger, Kaduna, and Kwara.

The party mocked government talk of gains against threats, saying daily losses prove otherwise. They hit Tinubu for skipping visits to hit areas, like Plateau’s mass killings earlier this year, branding it heartless neglect.

Abdullahi dubbed the president’s success claims a sad twist on facts, saying his ways deepen splits. The group called for owning the crisis size, talking straight to victims, better troop links, and open reports on ops and funds.

Nigeria faces assault, they said, and the team must drop pretence for real steps, haste in action, and clear wins.

The All Progressives Congress fired back, claiming the nation is shifting from peril to firmer safety, with grabs of top crooks showing steady drive to shield folks and steady the land.

Publicity director Bala Ibrahim called the critics muddled and sidelined by voters. In a Yola interview, he said such barbs are no surprise from those shunned by the public.

Ibrahim noted bumps remain but the pace of fixes signals real care for peace. He recalled fresh catches of major West African thugs, now locked up and spilling secrets to stop more harm. Their gripes, he added, stem from flop bids to win hearts, while people see the true path forward.