Former Minister Urges Nigeria to Create Elite Units to Fight Terrorism Effectively.
Former Minister Urges Nigeria to Create Elite Units to Fight Terrorism Effectively.
Former Minister of Aviation Osita Chidoka has expressed strong criticism of Nigeria’s approach to combating terrorism. During an interview on Arise Television, he emphasized that the country’s fight against insurgency is not merely about increasing the number of soldiers or police officers. Instead, he highlighted a significant gap in Nigeria’s security architecture: the absence of specialized forces trained specifically for counter-terrorism operations.
Chidoka pointed out that Nigeria has been battling terrorism since 2008, yet it has not established a dedicated Special Forces or Forest Forces unit. He argued that creating such units is crucial, likening their importance to Colombia’s Jungle Force, which was developed in collaboration with the U.S. Navy to combat insurgents in dense forests. Colombia’s specialized unit possesses helicopters, its own intelligence systems, and a strike force, making it highly effective against guerrilla groups.
Contrasting this with Nigeria’s current strategy, Chidoka criticized the government’s focus on deploying more police and soldiers as a knee-jerk reaction to terrorism. President Bola Tinubu’s recent announcement to recruit tens of thousands of police and soldiers, and to mobilize NYSC camps for recruitment, was seen by Chidoka as insufficient and reactionary. He argued that Nigeria should instead invest in creating specialized units capable of conducting targeted operations against terrorists, especially in challenging terrains.
Furthermore, Chidoka highlighted the financial aspect, noting that Nigeria’s 2025 police budget allocates over 1.2 trillion naira, predominantly for salaries, with only a small fraction allocated for operational overheads. This, he said, underscores the need for a strategic shift towards investing in specialized forces that can effectively combat terrorism rather than merely increasing manpower.
