BY TAIBAT UMMI YAKUBU

Former Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Tukur Buratai (retd.), has urged President Bola Tinubu's administration to declare a state of emergency on poverty in Northern Nigeria, warning that military operations alone cannot defeat terrorism without addressing the economic and social conditions driving extremist recruitment.

Buratai argued that persistent poverty, unemployment, illiteracy, poor governance and limited economic opportunities had created an environment in which vulnerable young people could easily be manipulated and recruited into terrorist organisations.

He made the call on Friday in Lagos during the public presentation of a book titled Beyond Military Force: A Strategy for Countering Terrorism in Nigeria, written by Dr Joan Ugo Mbagwu, a Professor of Peace, Criminology and Security Studies at Chrisland University, Abeokuta, Ogun State.

The retired military chief, who served as Nigeria's Chief of Army Staff from 2015 to 2021, was the Guest of Honour at the event. He described the publication as an important contribution to the country's security debate, stressing the need for a broader approach to tackling terrorism beyond conventional military operations.

According to him, lasting peace cannot be achieved without combining military action with good governance, economic empowerment, community participation and cooperation among countries facing similar security threats.

"Military force, however professional, is a shield, not a substitute for governance. It can create the conditions for peace, but it cannot by itself build peace.

"It can degrade a terrorist group; it cannot alone remove the grievances of poverty, ignorance and manipulation from which such groups recruit," Buratai said.

He maintained that Nigeria's security challenges, particularly in the North-East and North-West, required a coordinated strategy that addressed both the immediate threats posed by armed groups and the underlying conditions sustaining insecurity.

The former army chief also identified intelligence gathering and public cooperation as critical factors in successful counter-terrorism operations, arguing that security agencies must establish trust with local communities to obtain reliable information.

"No amount of firepower can compensate for poor intelligence. The community is often the best source of intelligence, but only when the community trusts the security agencies," he said.

Buratai further cautioned that security operations carried out without sufficient regard for human rights could worsen tensions between security forces and residents, potentially providing terrorist groups with propaganda materials to attract new recruits.

He explained that the manner in which military operations were conducted was just as important as their operational objectives, warning that alienating communities could deprive security agencies of the cooperation needed to defeat insurgents.

Reflecting on his tenure as army chief, he disclosed that the Nigerian Army reviewed its rules of engagement and introduced human rights desks and other accountability mechanisms to strengthen professionalism and ensure compliance with established standards.

He also called for increased investment in the counter-terrorism capabilities of the Nigeria Police Force, insisting that the military should not be expected to perform responsibilities that properly belong to civilian security institutions.

"The military is not the police; it is not the social welfare agency; it is not the school system. When the military is deployed to perform tasks that belong to civil authorities, it becomes overstretched, and the roots of the conflict remain untouched," he stated.

On the rehabilitation and reintegration of former terrorists, Buratai supported credible deradicalisation programmes but warned that such interventions must not come at the expense of justice for victims and communities affected by insurgency.

He said rehabilitation efforts would only gain public acceptance if they were transparent, properly supervised and sensitive to the concerns of communities that had suffered attacks, killings and displacement.

"Rehabilitation and reintegration are important, but we must not forget the victims. Communities affected by terrorism must be reassured that justice has been served," he added.

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Drawing on his experience as commander of the Multinational Joint Task Force, headquartered in N'Djamena, Chad, Buratai also called for stronger regional security arrangements, noting that terrorist organisations, including Boko Haram and its affiliates, operated across national borders.

He urged Nigeria to deepen security cooperation with neighbouring countries through the Economic Community of West African States, the African Union and countries within the Lake Chad Basin.

"Terrorism does not respect national boundaries. Therefore, our response must also go beyond national boundaries. We need stronger cooperation among countries sharing common security challenges," he said.

Returning to his proposal for an emergency intervention on poverty in Northern Nigeria, Buratai identified out-of-school children, the Almajiri system, youth unemployment, vocational education and social protection as priority areas requiring urgent attention.

He, however, warned that poverty alleviation programmes must be protected from political interference and manipulation by influential individuals seeking personal benefits.

"Poverty is not an excuse for terrorism, but it is a fertile ground for recruitment and manipulation. We must treat it with the seriousness it deserves," he said.

To support his argument, Buratai highlighted findings from research conducted for the book, which involved field surveys in Adamawa, Borno, Yobe, Kano, Kebbi, Kogi and Niger states, as well as the Federal Capital Territory.

He disclosed that 86 per cent of respondents believed negotiation could play a useful role in addressing terrorism, while 92 per cent agreed that community members could make significant contributions to intelligence gathering.

The research also found that 84 per cent of respondents associated terrorist recruitment with poor economic conditions and challenges surrounding the Almajiri system.

Buratai said the findings reinforced the need for Nigeria to look beyond military victories and recognise that public trust, effective governance and social development were essential to achieving sustainable security.

Earlier, the author, Mbagwu, said she wrote the book to challenge the country's traditional reliance on military force as the primary response to terrorism.

She argued that understanding the social, economic and political conditions that allow extremist ideologies to flourish was necessary for developing more effective counter-terrorism strategies.

"We cannot continue to look at terrorism only from the perspective of military force. We must also examine the conditions that allow terrorism to thrive and the factors that make individuals vulnerable to extremist ideologies," she said.

The book was formally unveiled by retired Major General R.O. Yusuf, while the Chairman of the occasion, Olubunmi Ajala, described the publication as a timely contribution to Nigeria's ongoing efforts to address insecurity.

Ajala also commended Buratai for his continued involvement in security-related discussions, particularly his contributions to the country's counter-terrorism efforts during his years in military service.

The event concluded with the presentation of an award of appreciation to the former army chief in recognition of his contributions to the fight against terrorism during his tenure.