re posted from THE DAILY TIMES
The military, on their own, are completely overstretched. You can count almost over 30 terrorist operations in this country where military personnel are deployed,
Jackson-Ojo also lamented the loss of senior military officers in recent months. “Within the past three months, we have lost almost four generals and there is no reprisal attack,” he said.
He criticised the reintegration of repentant terrorists into society, arguing that the approach sends the wrong message. “I’ve never heard it anywhere in the world that terrorists who have terrorised, damaged and killed will be integrated back into society. To me, I think the government is totally helpless. Something, or many things, are wrong now,” he added.
Billions Spent on Security, Yet Nigeria Records 98 Violent Attacks in Just One Week
The Federal Government spent N57.78 billion on security-related projects and operations between January and April 2026, even as Nigeria continued to battle widespread insecurity, with 98 criminal incidents recorded nationwide within a single week.
Data obtained from the Open Treasury Portal showed that the amount represented a 127.97 per cent increase from the N25.35 billion spent during the same period in 2025. The expenditure covered defence equipment procurement, security infrastructure, military barracks, police facilities, and other security-related projects.
Despite the increase in spending, attacks by terrorists, bandits, kidnappers and other armed groups have continued unabated in several parts of the country, prompting fresh concerns over the effectiveness of government efforts to address the security crisis.
Analysis of the Treasury Portal data revealed that the N57.78 billion spent as of April accounted for only 1.24 per cent of the N4.66 trillion allocated to security in the 2026 budget, indicating a low level of implementation within the first four months of the year.
The largest share of the expenditure, N21.39 billion, was committed to the procurement of defence equipment, representing about 37 per cent of the total security spending during the period. Another N14.16 billion was spent on security equipment, while N5.84 billion went into the construction and provision of military barracks. The government also disbursed N5.17 billion for police stations and barracks, N3.26 billion for the rehabilitation of defence equipment, N2.39 billion for defence facilities, and N2.16 billion for repairs of military barracks.
In addition, N3 billion was spent on security services, while N320.94 million was released as security votes. However, several key programmes recorded no expenditure. No funds had been released under the military operations budget line tagged “Operation Lafiya Dole and Other Operations of the Armed Forces,” despite a N500 million provision in the 2026 budget. Likewise, no money had been spent on the kitting of Armed Forces personnel, even though N2.53 billion had been earmarked for the initiative.
Compared with the same period in 2025, spending on defence equipment more than doubled, rising from N9.48 billion to N21.39 billion, while expenditure on military barracks construction increased from zero to N5.84 billion. Nevertheless, implementation rates across many security projects remained below three per cent.
The spending figures emerged as a police security report obtained by The PUNCH revealed that 98 criminal incidents were recorded across Nigeria within the last seven days. The report documented 37 homicide cases, 27 banditry attacks, 24 kidnappings, eight armed robbery incidents, and two terrorism-related attacks.
The incidents were reported in Kaduna, Katsina, Zamfara, Kebbi and several other states, involving mass abductions, attacks on rural communities, and kidnappings along major highways.
Among the most disturbing cases was the abduction of 39 residents in Zamfara State after they reportedly travelled into the Fadama Forest to negotiate peace with a notorious bandit leader, Jimo Smally.
In Katsina State, bandits blocked the Katsina-Kankara Highway and intercepted a commercial vehicle carrying 11 passengers. Security operatives later rescued nine of the victims, while the driver and another passenger remained missing.
Reacting to the situation, security analyst Lekan Jackson-Ojo described the crisis as the worst insecurity challenge in Nigeria’s history. “This is the highest level of insecurity in the military and political history of the Federal Republic of Nigeria,” he said.
According to him, the prevailing insecurity has serious economic consequences. “It is an indirect pronouncement that Nigeria is an unsafe territory now. We are having a battered economy, and there is no economy anywhere in the world that thrives under insecurity,” he stated.
Jackson-Ojo also lamented the loss of senior military officers in recent months. “Within the past three months, we have lost almost four generals and there is no reprisal attack,” he said.
He criticised the reintegration of repentant terrorists into society, arguing that the approach sends the wrong message. “I’ve never heard it anywhere in the world that terrorists who have terrorised, damaged and killed will be integrated back into society. To me, I think the government is totally helpless. Something, or many things, are wrong now,” he added.
The security expert further accused the political class of focusing more on electioneering activities than addressing the nation’s security concerns. “What preoccupies our political class is campaign, campaign, campaign and campaign. This is a sad situation,” he stressed.
Another security analyst, Chidi Omeje, argued that Nigeria’s armed forces remain overstretched despite the increased spending. “The military, on their own, are completely overstretched. You can count almost over 30 terrorist operations in this country where military personnel are deployed,” he said.
Omeje maintained that military operations alone would not resolve the country’s security challenges. “Unless we are able to deal with the root causes, we will keep going in circles. Most of the issues are born out of bad governance, wrong prioritisation, corruption and pervasive poverty, which has made people see crime and criminality as an option for survival,” he noted.
He also blamed porous borders and instability across the Sahel region for worsening insecurity in Nigeria. “From Mali to Burkina Faso to Nigeria those places are the epicentre of terrorism. Nigeria is an attractive destination because we have porous borders and poor border management,” he stated.
Calling for urgent action, Omeje said the government must demonstrate stronger leadership in tackling the crisis. “The government seems almost clueless about how to go about this matter. They are paid to find solutions — so they must find solutions,” he added.
The latest figures underscore the disconnect between increased security spending and the reality on the ground, where violent attacks continue to claim lives and disrupt communities. They also highlight the urgent need for more effective implementation of security budgets and a comprehensive strategy that addresses both the immediate threats and the underlying drivers of insecurity across the country.
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Billions Spent on Security, Yet Nigeria Records 98 Violent Attacks in Just One Week