Security challenges beyond military operations – Former Chief of Defence Staff Irabor

Former Chief of Defence Staff, Gen. Lucky Irabor, has said that Nigeria’s security challenges go beyond military operations and require collective responsibility as the country heads to 2027 elections.

Irabor spoke on Thursday in Abuja while delivering a keynote address titled “Nigeria’s Security: A Collective Responsibility” at a public presentation of O’to’Ge: The Legacies of Political Leadership in Nigeria, authored by Edwin Akwueh, Chief News Editor of Voice of Nigeria.

He warned that insecurity cannot be solved by the armed forces, police and intelligence agencies alone, stressing that voters’ safety, protection of electoral officials and integrity of polls will be critical concerns in 2027.

According to him, security remains a foundation for political stability, economic development and democratic progress, noting no society advances when citizens live in fear, businesses cannot operate confidently and farmers abandon farms due to insecurity.

He said when communities lose confidence in security institutions, intelligence flow diminishes and the social contract between government and people breaks down, especially when citizens believe the state can no longer guarantee safety.

“Security is a shared enterprise — a social contract in which every citizen, institution and tier of government has a non-negotiable stake,” Irabor said.

He explained that Nigeria’s population, vast geography and sophisticated criminal networks make it impossible for conventional agencies to address every threat without community support.

He listed community vigilance, early-warning systems, timely information sharing and denial of safe havens to criminals as measures that strengthen operations more than sophisticated equipment alone.

Irabor identified poverty, youth unemployment, weak local governance and declining social cohesion as root causes military operations cannot eliminate, noting sustainable peace requires investments in education, justice and inclusive politics.

He urged political leaders to prioritise national cohesion, avoid using security agencies for partisan interests, and called for respect for rule of law, saying trust grows when laws are applied fairly and no one is above the legal framework.

The former CDS urged citizens to practise “See Something, Say Something,” and called on traditional rulers, religious leaders, media and the private sector to promote coexistence, responsible reporting and job creation.

He commended President Tinubu for efforts to reposition Armed Forces and lauded Akwueh for documenting political leadership lessons, saying securing Nigeria requires continuous cooperation at every level.

Earlier, the author, Edwin Akwueh, said the book was inspired by his coverage of 2019 elections, when O’to’Ge mantra mobilised Kwarans to end the 40-year Saraki dynasty in North Central Nigeria.

Akwueh said the book examines how similar currents played out in Anambra, Yobe and nationally with Obidients Movement and “Emi lo kan” mantra, to show political success can be achieved through different strategies without depending exclusively on godfathers.

He noted that elections are not won by emotions alone but by strategy, deep understanding of the system and behavioural patterns of the electorate, adding that the publication aims to encourage reflection on political development and legacies beyond individual officeholders.