Ex-Army Chief says Nigeria has the intelligence capacity to trace criminals, calls for coordinated national response to worsening insecurity.

Former Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Tukur Yusuf Buratai (retd.), has cast doubt on the effectiveness of Nigeria’s security operations, insisting that bandits should be traceable if ordinary citizens and social media influencers can be located by authorities.

Buratai argued that the country’s intelligence and surveillance systems are advanced enough to track criminal networks, making it difficult to justify the continued inability to pin down armed groups terrorising communities.

He said it was unconvincing that security agencies could successfully monitor and locate civilians when necessary, yet struggle to identify and neutralise bandits operating across forests and rural areas.

Describing insecurity as a full-blown national crisis, Buratai called for stronger coordination, improved intelligence gathering, and unwavering commitment from all tiers of government.

He stressed that tackling banditry and terrorism must go beyond military operations, urging citizens, local communities, and institutions to take active roles in supporting security efforts.

His remarks come against the backdrop of growing public outrage over persistent abductions, killings, and attacks on schools and communities nationwide—comments likely to intensify scrutiny of the country’s security architecture and its capacity to respond effectively.