AFCRD 2026: Ex-COAS Buratai Calls for Expanded, Well-Equipped Police Force

Linus Aleke in Abuja

A former Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lieutenant General Tukur Buratai (rtd), has called for a significantly expanded and well-equipped Nigeria Police Force to take full responsibility for internal security, reducing the country’s reliance on the military for routine policing duties.

Buratai made the call at the National Symposium/Lecture Series held in commemoration of the 2026 Armed Forces Celebration and Remembrance Day (AFCRD) in Abuja, Monday, where he delivered a lecture titled ‘Securing Nigeria’s Future: The Armed Forces and National Development.’

He stressed that the police should be professionalised under a funded, multi-year plan to achieve a strength of around 1.5 million officers, thereby ensuring they can independently manage internal security responsibilities.

Buratai also called for comprehensive reforms in Nigeria’s security and governance architecture to safeguard the nation’s long-term security and stability.

He canvassed for the repositioning of the armed forces as a catalyst for national development, while advocating a strategic focus on high-intensity combat and external defence.

The former ambassador to Benin Republic outlined five key policy recommendations to translate Nigeria’s defence vision into actionable outcomes.

He proposed the establishment of a National Defence Innovation Fund (NDIF), leveraging public-private partnerships to finance research and development in critical dual-use technologies such as cyber defence, unmanned aerial systems, satellite communications, and renewable energy solutions for forward operating bases.

He noted that such a framework would ensure defence spending drives innovation within the civilian technology sector.

On human capital development, Buratai called for a revised National Service and Veterans’ Framework, transforming the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) into a mandatory national service scheme with both military and civic tracks to promote skill acquisition, national cohesion, and post-service employment opportunities.

He further called for the passage of a Veterans’ Rights and Transition Act to guarantee timely pensions, healthcare access, skills conversion programmes, and legal protections for retired personnel.

The ex-COAS also recommended institutionalising permanent civil-military cooperation (CIMIC) directorates within the Ministry of Defence and service headquarters to ensure structured collaboration with civilian ministries in post-conflict development, while preventing mission creep by the military.

On regional security, Buratai emphasised the need for strengthened multilateral cooperation through frameworks such as the Multinational Joint Task Force and the Gulf of Guinea maritime security architecture.

He noted that collective action remains critical in addressing transnational threats and fostering stability across the region.

He concluded that a balanced approach to defence reform, internal security restructuring, and regional cooperation would allow Nigeria to optimise its resources, strengthen national unity, and secure a more prosperous future.

Earlier, the Minister of Defence, General Christopher Musa (rtd), reaffirmed the Federal Government’s commitment to building a professional and resilient armed forces capable of safeguarding Nigeria’s sovereignty and supporting national development.

He highlighted the ministry’s ongoing focus on troop welfare, enhanced training, doctrinal refinement, and expansion of indigenous defence production to ensure sustainable long-term security capabilities.

Musa also noted that current policy and legislative reforms are revitalising local defence industries, encouraging private sector participation, creating jobs, and deepening local content while reducing dependence on foreign suppliers.

In his remarks, former COAS, Lieutenant General Faruk Yahaya (rtd), welcomed Musa’s appointment as Defence Minister, noting that it would accelerate the much-needed reforms in the armed forces.

He also endorsed Buratai’s call for the proper integration of veterans, emphasising that their experience and expertise should be harnessed to address national security challenges effectively.