Olalere Modupe
Nigeria is grappling with a growing security concern. On Tuesday, May 6, 2025, the House of Representatives expressed great concern about a sad event at a military base in Giwa, Borno State.
Legislators bemoaned a worrisome disparity in weaponry as Boko Haram militants seemed to be better armed than the Nigerian military. Retired military generals and security analysts have been calling for immediate government action to equip the Nigerian Armed Forces and solve the underlying causes of insecurity in line with this attack.
The Nigerian government continues to suffer ongoing terrorist attacks, banditry, kidnappings, and communal violence throughout numerous regions despite significant increases in defense budgets, which are projected to climb from N2.98 trillion in 2023 to a proposed N4.91 trillion in 2025 between the years 2023 and 2025. This essay examines the current security challenges, addresses the limits of the present efforts, and offers some pragmatic solutions to help Nigeria reach victory in the fight against terrorism.
Particularly in the North-East, the attack on the Giwa military base is symbolic of a general degradation in security. Rising with more capacity, Boko Haram and its breakaway organization, ISWAP, have launched lethal strikes, causing notable military and civilian losses. Legislators claimed during the House of Representatives plenary on May 6 that the occurrence is a “glaring indicator” showing that rebels are more equipped than the Nigerian military, thus endangering public confidence and national security.
The Impact on humanitarian efforts is disastrous. Over four thousand civilians were killed in the North-East region in 2023 alone, as stated in the Humanitarian Needs and Response Plan implemented by the United Nations in 2025. As of November 2024, also causing 411 deaths were unexploded munitions and landmines. Millions of people have been displaced; many live in camps or unofficial communities without access to food, medical treatment, or education.
Food insecurity is rising, with an estimated 5.1 million people in Borno, Adamawa, and Yobe (BAY) states expected to endure famine during the 2025 lean season. The violence has caused havoc in agriculture and industry, which fuels poverty and desperation that, in turn, provide rich recruiting targets for rebel organizations.
Nigeria’s safety problems are not just in the North-East. Threats are different in other places: The North-West and North-Central regions are plagued by banditry and kidnappings. The Middle Belt experiences deadly farmer-herder clashes. The South-East and South-South face kidnappings and separatist agitations.
To handle this multifarious and complex danger properly, it is advisable to customize reactions to specific areas instead of implementing a uniform military plan.
Regarding security and defense, the Nigerian government’s commitment to bolstering national security is evident in its significant budgetary allocations over recent years. According to Peoples Gazette, in 2023, the Buhari administration allocated ₦2.98 trillion to the defence and security sectors, representing 13.4% of the total budget. This funding encompassed expenditures for the military, police, intelligence, and paramilitary services.
Looking ahead, President Bola Tinubu, according to a document by the Presidency capturing the President’s speech while assenting to the budget, made an increased allocation of ₦6.11 trillion for defence and security in the 2025 fiscal year. This allocation, part of the “Budget of Restoration,” underscores the administration’s focus on enhancing the operational capacity of Nigeria’s security agencies, including the Armed Forces, the Nigerian Police Force, and paramilitary organizations.
These escalating investments highlight the government’s prioritization of national security as a foundation for economic growth and societal stability. Still, the security situation is appalling even with these expenditures.
Retired military generals have repeatedly urged the government to quickly provide the Nigerian Armed Forces with contemporary weapons, surveillance equipment, and logistical support—the military fights to remove seized areas without matching the militants’ mobility and firepower.
Rear Admiral Yaminu Ehinomen Musa, Coordinator of the Counter Terrorism Centre at the Presidency, emphasized the need for political will alongside military strength: “The President as the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces must muster the political will to identify the masterminds behind the terrorists, bandits, armed herders, and kidnappers and put them forward for prosecution. That would serve as a form of deterrence to others with similar evil inclinations.”
This highlights a fundamental flaw in Nigeria’s approach to information security and helps expose the neglect of holding criminal masterminds responsible. If prosecution and justice fall short, the cycle of violence and impunity will surely keep on.
Furthermore, analysts underline the fact that military strength alone cannot solve Nigeria’s security issues. Societal problems include youth unemployment, poverty, and a lack of prior education, which drive many into criminal and extremist groups. Dealing with these fundamental problems will help to preserve peace over time.
The International Organisation for Peacebuilding and Social Justice (PSJ-UK) and the Initiative for Economic Development Communication advise a multi-pronged approach, including: Regional and international cooperation to disrupt insurgent networks. Humanitarian interventions to alleviate suffering and build resilience. Conflict resolution tailored to local contexts. Governance reforms to tackle corruption and improve the security sector’s accountability.
With timely procurement and delivery of excellent armaments, better army training, and increased intelligence capabilities, the government has to guarantee that financial expenditures are effectively employed.
Fighting terrorism calls for an all-encompassing strategy combining military might with socio-economic growth and changes in government.
Modernizing the military with cutting-edge weaponry, drones, surveillance, and communication technologies is crucial. Training must concentrate on community involvement and counter-insurgency strategies to raise operational efficiency. Better intelligence collecting and coordination among the military, police, and intelligence agencies, among other entities, is essential. Strengthening border security may assist in stopping the guns and militants from surrounding nations.
Still, unemployment is the biggest cause of insecurity, particularly among young people. Offering employment, vocational training, and education helps lower extremist organizations’ attraction. The government and commercial sectors should work together to establish sustainable lives in sensitive areas through agricultural development, infrastructural initiatives, and small business support.
Bad leadership and corruption undermine initiatives to keep people safe. Strengthening institutions, clarifying issues, and ensuring the law-abiding behavior of security services are vital. If criminals, terrorists, and their supporters are swiftly discovered and punished, they will be less prone to carry out crimes. Political will at the highest level is necessary to break the cycle of impunity.
Banditry and terrorism often cut across national boundaries. Nigeria has to strengthen cooperation for intelligence sharing and joint operations with foreign partners and surrounding nations.
Different security issues facing Nigeria call for tailored reactions. For former militants, the Northeast requires military operations mixed with programs for community rehabilitation and reintegration.
The Middle belt calls for peacebuilding projects, land reforms, and dialogue venues to settle farmer-herder disputes. Along with security policies, political participation is needed in the Southeast and South-South to handle separatist agitations and criminal activity.
The UN recommends anticipatory humanitarian interventions to mitigate floods, which increase conflict zone vulnerability. Community trust and resilience increase with humanitarian relief and security.
With few resources, Nigeria should consider creative finance solutions like international grants, public-private partnerships, and diaspora donations. The effective use of resources is key to maximizing the effect.
Nigeria’s battle against terrorism finds itself at a junction. The recent fatal attack in Giwa and the continuous insecurity in other areas draw attention to the pressing need for a thorough plan integrating military readiness with socio-economic development and governance changes.
Higher defense budgets are reasonable but need implementation, accountability, and political will. Providing the military with modern tools is vital but insufficient without addressing insecurity.
As Rear Admiral Musa rightly said, one of the most essential deterrents Nigeria has to adopt is punishing the creators of violence.
To win this fight, Nigeria must modernize and equip its security forces urgently. Create jobs and empower youth in vulnerable communities.
Strengthen governance, rule of law, and accountability. Foster regional and international cooperation. Develop tailored, region-specific security and peacebuilding strategies.
Integrate humanitarian assistance with disaster risk reduction. Mobilize resources innovatively and efficiently.
Nigeria can only establish peace, protect its people, and provide a sustainable environment for progress with a coordinated, multi-sectoral plan. Now is the best time to act. Nigeria’s future depends on this.
