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Military Alone Cannot End Insurgency — CDS Oluyede Urges FG To Strengthen Police, Civil Defence

The Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), General Olufemi Oluyede, has stated that Nigeria’s armed forces cannot defeat insurgency on their own, calling on the Federal Government to urgently strengthen the Nigeria Police Force and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC).

General Oluyede made the remark while addressing lawmakers during a defence engagement at the National Assembly, where he emphasized that sustainable security requires a whole-of-government and whole-of-society approach, not military action alone.

According to the CDS, while the Armed Forces are capable of clearing insurgents from troubled areas, the responsibility of holding, stabilizing, and maintaining peace in such communities should rest largely with internal security agencies.

“The military can clear areas, but to secure and stabilize them, the Police and Civil Defence must be adequately empowered, equipped, and deployed,” Oluyede said.

He noted that insurgency, banditry, and other forms of insecurity thrive where there is weak policing presence, stressing that strengthening civil security institutions would prevent criminals from regrouping after military operations.

The CDS urged the Federal Government to invest more in training, equipment, intelligence, and manpower for the Police and NSCDC, adding that effective inter-agency collaboration is key to winning Nigeria’s security battles.

Security analysts say the statement reflects a growing consensus within the military leadership that internal security challenges cannot be solved by force alone, but through coordinated action involving law enforcement, intelligence agencies, and community engagement.

Nigeria has continued to battle insurgency, banditry, kidnapping, and communal violence across several regions, prompting renewed calls for comprehensive security sector reforms.