President Bola Tinubu’s administration has prepared five-year strategic defence operations plan intended to strengthen Nigeria’s security architecture and coordinate the country’s response to terrorism, banditry, kidnapping and other crimes.
According to the statement by the All Progressives Congress (APC) Presidential Campaign Council who revealed that this plan is designed to align defence priorities, operational needs, capability development and spending with Nigeria’s current and anticipated security threats.
The council said it would promote a more coordinated, intelligence-led, technology -enabled and prevention-oriented approach.
The statement said ongoing military operations over the past three years had resulted in the killing of more than 15,000 Boko Haram militants and bandits.
It also said more than 130,000 Boko Haram fighters and dependents had surrendered through Operation Safe Corridor, the government’s rehabilitation programme for former insurgents.
The figures, the council said, reflect a two-track strategy combining military operations with non-military interventions.
The statement did not provide further details on the methodology behind the figures or a timeline for the new plan’s implementation.
Expansion of forces and training
As part of efforts to increase the military’s reach, Tinubu has created four new Army divisions and restructured existing formations, the statement said.
The changes are intended to decentralise operations, extend coverage and help troops respond more quickly to security threats.
The govt has also approved two additional Army depots—in Osogbo, Osun State, and Amasiri-Edda, Ebonyi State—to expand recruitment and training. Together, the facilities are expected to accommodate up to 12,000 recruits at a time.
The Osogbo depot is already training 5,210 recruits, according to the statement. The expansion is expected to shorten training turnaround times and increase the number of soldiers available for deployment.
Tinubu has also approved the recruitment of 28,000 additional soldiers and 50,000 police officers, the council said. The police recruitment is intended to reinforce internal security and strengthen responses to criminal activity.
Infrastructure and operational support
The administration is investing in accommodation and operational infrastructure, in addition to personnel, equipment and technology, the statement said.
One cited project is a 700-unit military barracks in Ikere-Ekiti, Ekiti State. The facility is intended to provide housing and operational support for personnel serving in the area.
The council said the broader measures are aimed at addressing manpower and infrastructure gaps, improving the capacity of security agencies and ensuring personnel are trained, equipped and deployed where needed.
