Nation At Risk? Ex-Military Boss Warns, Pushes For Immediate Troop Reinforcement

The President of the Birch Freeman Old Boys Association and retired Brigadier-General, Anthony Onibasa, has called on the Federal Government to bolster the nation’s security by recruiting more personnel to tackle Nigeria’s escalating security issues.

Onibasa warned against allowing citizens to arm themselves for self-defence, saying such a situation would reflect the image of a failed state.

He made this appeal during the association’s homecoming event, themed ‘The Reunion,’ held on Saturday in Surulere, Lagos State.

In a chat with Punch, Onibasa stressed the importance of expanding and strengthening the military, rather than encouraging civilians to take up arms in the face of rising insecurity.

He criticized the increasing presence of local militia groups, arguing that the protection of citizens should never depend on non-state actors. “We have local militia groups. There must not be a multitude of non-state actors protecting citizens,” he stated.

Onibasa also pointed out that Nigeria’s security agencies are heavily overstretched due to a small military force relative to the country’s large population and geographical size.

“The security agencies are overstretched because the army is too small when compared to our challenges, the nation’s size, and our population,” he said.

He further noted that the lack of proper appreciation and support for service personnel negatively impacts their morale and effectiveness.

“It is unfortunate that our service personnel are not adequately appreciated. Running a military campaign is no easy task,” Onibasa concluded.