Nigeria Must Declare War On Terrorists — Ex-CDS Irabor Tells FG

By: Chioma Madonna Ndukwu

Nigeria Must Declare War On Terrorists — Ex-CDS Irabor Tells FG

Former Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), General Lucky Irabor (rtd), has urged the Federal Government to formally declare war on terrorists and bandits wreaking havoc across the country, arguing that such a move would strengthen the nation’s fight against insecurity.

Speaking on Channels Television’s Politics Today on Monday, Irabor noted that despite years of counterterrorism operations, Nigeria has yet to legally define its battle against insurgents as a war.

“There are no legal instruments indicating that Nigeria is at war — none whatsoever,” he said. “We’re only assuming that we are. A declaration of war would align all the elements of state power directly toward the fight.”

According to the retired military chief, a formal declaration would ensure better coordination, funding, and accountability in the use of resources dedicated to security.

“It will make a huge difference because resources would be properly channelled, and accountability frameworks clearly established,” he explained. “This is not just about military power; it’s about mobilising every arm of government and society to act in unison.”

Irabor stressed that maintaining national security is expensive, but dismissed public perceptions that the armed forces benefit financially from ongoing conflicts. He also identified political interference and weak governance as major contributors to insecurity.

The former CDS, who recently presented his book Scars: Nigeria’s Journey and the Boko Haram Conundrum, called for a shift from a purely military response to a broader strategy that addresses poverty, unemployment, and education.

“We must reduce the number of out-of-school children and tackle unemployment,” he said. “If we remove those vulnerabilities, we deny criminals and terrorists their recruitment pool.”

Irabor urged political leaders to avoid politicising security matters, warning that divisions and blame games only embolden criminal groups.

His remarks come amid persistent attacks in several northern states, where bandits and insurgents continue to terrorise communities despite claims by the government that peace has returned to many liberated areas.

In his Independence Day address, President Bola Tinubu said the armed forces were “winning the war” against terrorism and banditry, insisting that hundreds of communities had been secured and resettled.

But opposition voices and security analysts remain sceptical, arguing that the violence persists at worrying levels.

Nigeria’s fight against terrorism began over a decade ago with the Boko Haram insurgency in the North-East, which later expanded into wider conflicts involving splinter groups like ISWAP and criminal bandits in the North-West and Middle Belt.

Successive administrations have launched several military operations — from Operation Lafiya Dole to Hadarin Daji and Whirl Stroke — but the absence of a formal declaration of war means these efforts operate within limited legal and strategic frameworks.

Analysts say that declaring war could legally empower the government to fully mobilise national resources, strengthen inter-agency coordination, and improve international cooperation in combating terrorism.

General Irabor’s call reflects growing frustration within security circles over Nigeria’s fragmented approach to the crisis.

Many experts believe that without a unified wartime structure and stronger governance measures, the country’s battle against terrorism may remain prolonged and inconclusive.

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Chioma Ndukwu

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