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• Hints at gradual withdrawal of soldiers from internal security operations
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From Juliana Taiwo-Obalonye, Abuja
The Federal Government is considering the reintroduction of tollgates equipped with modern surveillance technology as part of efforts to curb kidnapping, banditry and other criminal activities on Nigeria’s highways.
Minister of Defence, General Christopher Musa (retd.), said the proposed tollgates would serve not only as revenue collection points but also as security checkpoints where technology could be deployed to identify, monitor and track vehicles without requiring motorists to stop for manual payments.
Musa also disclosed that the military was working towards gradually withdrawing from internal security operations by strengthening the capacity of the Nigeria Police Force to take over responsibilities that fall within its mandate.
The minister spoke at an Abuja roundtable, Promise to Proof: The Renewed Hope Conversation, organised by the APC Progressive Strategy Roundtable and convened by the Executive Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of PICNG and EVS, Ismaeel Ahmed.
Responding to concerns about insecurity on major highways and a suggestion that motorists could contribute to security funding through tollgate levies, Musa endorsed the proposal, saying Nigeria might have made a mistake by dismantling tollgates.
He, however, stressed that the reintroduction of tollgates must be supported by modern technology capable of identifying vehicles through their registration numbers and processing payments electronically.
According to him, such systems would provide security agencies with additional tools to monitor vehicle movements and track those suspected of involvement in criminal activities.
The minister also advocated a stronger national identification system incorporating personal identification numbers, facial recognition and fingerprint technology to make it easier for security agencies to establish identities and track criminal networks.
On the military’s increasing involvement in internal security operations, Musa acknowledged that prolonged deployments across the country had stretched the armed forces beyond their traditional responsibilities.
He said the military’s intervention became necessary when security challenges exceeded the capacity of the police, but maintained that the long-term objective was to build a sufficiently equipped and trained police force capable of handling internal security.
According to him, the military was already supporting the police through training, operational assistance and other capacity-building interventions, while the government pursued additional recruitment, equipment procurement and institutional reforms.
Musa said the Federal Government was making substantial investments in the military, disclosing that N5.4 trillion was allocated to defence in the 2026 budget, alongside plans to recruit an additional 12,000 personnel.
He said the investments covered modern weapons, surveillance systems and operational platforms designed to improve intelligence gathering, mobility, firepower and rapid response.
Giving an account of recent military operations, the minister disclosed that security forces killed more than 300 terrorists and bandits, including over 10 commanders, in operations conducted in the week preceding his presentation.
Musa attributed the progress against terrorism, banditry and kidnapping to improved intelligence gathering, joint military operations and stronger cooperation among security agencies.
The minister, however, identified porous borders as a major obstacle to the fight against insecurity, noting that Nigeria’s extensive borders, particularly with the Niger Republic, provided opportunities for criminal groups and arms traffickers to move across the region.
He said the government was strengthening border security and expanding bilateral, regional and international defence cooperation through intelligence sharing, specialised training and technological support.
The minister disclosed that Nigeria had maintained security relationships with Niger, Burkina Faso and Mali despite their withdrawal from the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), particularly in military training and cooperation around border communities.
He warned that instability in the Sahel posed a serious threat to West Africa, urging regional countries to work together to prevent the collapse of neighbouring states.
On local defence manufacturing, Musa said the government had strengthened the country’s defence industry through legislative reforms and partnerships with equipment manufacturers.
He disclosed that Nigeria recently hosted its first African International Military Defence Exhibition, attracting 63 countries and creating opportunities for local manufacturers to engage international partners and secure investment agreements.
He said developing domestic defence production capacity would reduce dependence on foreign suppliers, create employment and generate foreign exchange.
Musa urged Nigerians with expertise in cybersecurity, drone manufacturing and other defence technologies to bring forward their innovations for possible collaboration with the Defence Industry Corporation of Nigeria.
The minister also emphasised the importance of community intelligence in tackling insecurity, urging citizens to report suspicious activities rather than remain indifferent to criminal operations in their neighbourhoods.
He said criminals often depended on local support and information to operate, adding that security agencies could not effectively combat insecurity without the cooperation of communities.
He cited community-based intelligence and civilian joint task forces as important components of the country’s security architecture, noting that residents were often better positioned to provide timely information about suspicious movements.
He further disclosed that the military was working with forest rangers and other community-based security structures to protect farmers and enable agricultural activities to continue in vulnerable areas.
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On the welfare of military personnel, Musa said the government had improved soldiers’ salaries, healthcare, living conditions and operational support.
He recalled that a private soldier who previously earned about N49,000 monthly now received approximately N200,000 following successive salary increases.
He added that military personnel and their families were entitled to free medical treatment, while soldiers requiring specialised medical attention could be flown abroad.
The minister also disclosed that the military had introduced psychological assessment and post-deployment support for personnel exposed to traumatic experiences during operations.
According to him, returning soldiers undergo between two and three weeks of assessment and support to address possible post-traumatic stress disorder, anger and other behavioural changes before reuniting with their families and units.
He said the military also provided support for soldiers’ spouses and families through access to loans, medical care and educational assistance for their children.
Musa added that families of fallen military personnel were entitled to salaries, allowances and other benefits, while their children received support through university education.
Also speaking, the Executive Secretary of the Nigerian Police Trust Fund, Alhaji Mohamed Shaidou, said the Federal Government was addressing longstanding challenges confronting the police, particularly inadequate funding, training, equipment and personnel welfare.
Shaidou said years of underfunding and neglect had weakened the capacity of the police to discharge effectively their responsibilities of maintaining internal security and enforcing the law.
He explained that the Nigerian Police Trust Fund was established as an intervention agency to support police training, equipment procurement and officers’ welfare.
He disclosed that the government had approved about N100 billion for the rehabilitation of police training institutions following an assessment of facilities across the country.
He said the Trust Fund was also investing in continuous training, police stations, operational vehicles, bulletproof vests and other equipment required by officers.
On police welfare, Shaidou disclosed that the Trust Fund was working with the Rural Electrification Agency, the National Agricultural Land Development Authority and Family Homes Funds to improve the living conditions of officers and their dependants.
Under a housing initiative, he said the Fund was working towards providing 1,000 housing units in each state for police officers, with a groundbreaking ceremony already conducted for about 250 units in Nasarawa State.
He said the partnership with the Rural Electrification Agency would also provide electricity for police housing projects and facilities, adding that some smart police stations had already been equipped with off-grid solar power systems.
Shaidou further disclosed that the Trust Fund had introduced welfare buses to convey police officers in Abuja from communities including Mararaba and Zuba to their duty posts, reducing the financial burden of daily transportation.
He said the initiative had received support through the donation of 40-seater and 50-seater buses, while the Fund was considering compressed natural gas-powered buses to reduce operational costs.
The Trust Fund, he added, was also working with NALDA to provide agricultural opportunities for police officers’ dependants, with discussions already initiated with the governors of Kano and Niger states.
On the proposed establishment of state police, Shaidou expressed support for the initiative but cautioned that the existing federal police structure must first be strengthened.
He argued that countries operating state police systems also maintained federal police institutions, insisting that Nigeria must ensure its national police force remained adequately equipped and funded.
Earlier, participants at the roundtable raised concerns about the safety of citizens who provide security intelligence, particularly whistleblowers who fear exposure or retaliation.
Responding, Musa said protecting informants was essential to effective intelligence gathering and encouraged Nigerians to continue providing credible information to security agencies.
He disclosed that the Defence Ministry and military service headquarters received correspondence from citizens and were working towards establishing an emergency reporting line to facilitate the transmission of security information.
The minister also welcomed calls for stronger collaboration between security agencies and private-sector organisations, particularly in addressing electricity challenges affecting local defence manufacturers.
He said reliable energy supply was critical to the development of Nigeria’s defence industry and pledged to connect relevant stakeholders for further engagement.
Musa urged Nigerians to put national interest above ethnic, religious and regional differences, saying the country’s security challenges required collective responsibility.
He maintained that the ultimate measure of success in the fight against insecurity should be the ability of farmers to return to their farms, travellers to move safely on highways, markets to reopen and businesses to operate without fear.
