Col. Ahmed Abdul Usman, retired, the Special Adviser to the Governor of Sokoto State on Security Matters, warned on Saturday in Sokoto that the withdrawal of military personnel from routine internal‑security duties must be carefully coordinated to avoid creating security gaps.
Usman said he supports the Federal Government’s plan to gradually pull troops out of day‑to‑day policing as the Nigeria Police Force is strengthened, following an announcement by the Minister of Defence, Gen. Christopher Musa, retired, on the same strategy.
He stressed that the armed forces should concentrate on defending the country’s territorial integrity and tackling serious threats such as terrorism and banditry, while the police take on greater responsibility for routine law enforcement and the maintenance of public order.
“The withdrawal must be gradual and properly coordinated to avoid creating security gaps, especially in areas facing serious threats from terrorists, bandits and other criminal elements,” Usman said. He added that the military should still be ready to intervene when security situations exceed the capacity of the police and other agencies.
Usman called for stronger collaboration among the Armed Forces, the Nigeria Police Force, the Department of State Services and other security agencies, through improved intelligence sharing and coordinated operations.
He urged the Federal Government to strengthen the police force by increasing recruitment, providing specialised training, equipping officers with modern gear and enhancing intelligence‑gathering capabilities.
<small>Source: Daily Post Nigeria — read the original story there.</small>
