Former Chief of Army Staff Lt. Gen. Tukur Buratai (retd.) has called on the Federal Government to declare a state of emergency on poverty in Northern Nigeria as part of a broader strategy to combat terrorism and insecurity. Speaking at a book presentation in Lagos on Friday, Buratai argued that military operations cannot end terrorism without addressing poverty, unemployment, poor governance, illiteracy and other socio-economic conditions that make vulnerable young people susceptible to extremist recruitment. He described the book, 'Beyond Military Force: A Strategy for Countering Terrorism in Nigeria', authored by Dr Joan Ugo Mbagwu at Chrisland University, as an important intellectual contribution to Nigeria's counter-terrorism efforts.
Buratai stressed that sustainable peace requires more than military force. '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,' he said. He added that military operations can degrade terrorist groups but cannot alone remove the grievances of poverty, ignorance and manipulation from which such groups recruit. Buratai, who served as Chief of Army Staff between 2015 and 2021, highlighted the importance of community intelligence gathering, noting that 'no amount of firepower can compensate for poor intelligence'. He warned that security operations conducted without regard for human rights could undermine public confidence and provide terrorist organisations with propaganda material.
The former army chief also cautioned against allowing the military to perform tasks that belong to civilian authorities. 'The military is not the police; it is not the social welfare agency; it is not the school system,' he stated. On deradicalisation programmes, Buratai said rehabilitation and reintegration initiatives must not undermine justice for terrorism victims. He advocated stronger regional security cooperation, noting that terrorist organisations operate across national boundaries and that Nigeria should strengthen collaboration through the Economic Community of West African States, the African Union and Lake Chad Basin countries.
On a proposed poverty intervention in Northern Nigeria, Buratai said it should prioritise out-of-school children, the Almajiri system, youth unemployment, vocational training and social protection, while warning against allowing politicians to hijack such programmes. Research findings presented in the book, based on field surveys in Adamawa, Borno, Yobe, Kano, Kebbi, Kogi, Niger states and Abuja, showed that 86 per cent of respondents believed negotiation could help address terrorism, while 92 per cent agreed that community members could significantly contribute to intelligence gathering. Additionally, 84 per cent of respondents linked terrorist recruitment to poor economic conditions and the Almajiri situation. Buratai said the findings demonstrated that fighting terrorism requires public confidence and legitimacy, not military victories alone.