Former Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Tukur Buratai (retd), has questioned claims that security agencies are unable to track bandits and kidnappers who openly share videos and communicate from their hideouts, insisting that authorities possess the capacity to locate such criminals.
Speaking during an interview amid growing concerns over the activities of criminal gangs across Nigeria, Buratai said he found it difficult to believe that security agencies could track ordinary citizens and social media influencers but fail to identify the whereabouts of bandits who publicise their operations online.
“I don’t think they failed to locate. If they can locate ordinary citizens or social media influencers, I don’t believe they can locate these bandits that flaunt their loot or whatever activities they do,” he said.
His comments come after reports that gunmen abducted pupils and teachers from three schools in Oyo State’s Orire Local Government Area, with one of the kidnapped teachers later reportedly beheaded.
Although Buratai stopped short of directly criticising security agencies, he suggested there could be operational reasons behind their actions.
“I would not like to say it is a capacity-building challenge, but I think they may have their reasons,” he said.
The former Nigerian ambassador to the Benin Republic called for sustained investment in Nigeria’s security architecture, including the recruitment of more personnel, continuous training and improved welfare packages for security operatives.
“There must be capacity building of all the security agencies, and continuously,” he said. “There is a need for more operatives. We need more troops to be recruited, more operatives and more policemen.”
Buratai also stressed the importance of better living conditions for security personnel.
“They should be trained and retrained. Their welfare is very important. Let us have good accommodation. They must have good accommodation,” he added.
On the issue of hostage rescue operations, the retired army chief said the Nigerian military has specialised units capable of carrying out high-risk rescue missions.
“I will not tell you exactly or be specific, but generally we have within the military specialised units trained for such rescue missions,” he said.
According to him, the Nigerian Navy’s Special Boat Service and the Nigerian Army’s Special Forces possess rescue and VIP protection capabilities.
“The Special Boat Service is trained for such rescue missions. Even the Nigerian Army has Special Forces. They have rescue and VIP protection capabilities,” Buratai said.
However, he noted that decisions on whether to launch rescue operations are often influenced by concerns over the safety of hostages and the risk of collateral damage.
“The sensitivity of that type of kidnap, the location and those involved, and the danger of collateral damage may play a very important part,” he said.
Buratai further advocated expanding the National Counter Terrorism Centre under the Office of the National Security Adviser, arguing that stronger coordination and advanced technology would improve the fight against terrorism and kidnapping.
“The Office of the National Security Adviser has a Counter Terrorism Centre. I think the commander there is a professional and highly strategic officer,” he said.
He proposed the establishment of state branches of the centre equipped with advanced surveillance technology and operational situation rooms.
“If it can be further expanded to have state branches of the Counter Terrorism Centre with highly technical equipment and very good operations centres or situation rooms, they will be able to do a lot in coordination with the security agencies and the military,” Buratai said.
