Former Inspector-General of Police Mike Okiro and former Chief of Defence Staff Gen. Lucky Irabor (retd.) have identified inadequate funding as one of the major factors undermining Nigeria’s efforts to tackle insecurity, warning that security agencies cannot effectively confront evolving threats without sufficient resources. 

The retired security chiefs made the remarks during a national security dialogue in Abuja, where they examined the country’s security architecture and proposed measures to strengthen law enforcement and military operations amid persistent attacks by terrorists, bandits and kidnappers.

Okiro: Police Struggling With Funding, Equipment and Manpower

Okiro said the Nigeria Police Force has remained overstretched due to years of inadequate funding, poor staffing and insufficient operational equipment.

According to the former police chief, the force’s current challenges have contributed to growing calls for the establishment of state police, arguing that many Nigerians believe decentralised policing has become necessary because the existing federal structure has struggled to meet the country’s security demands.

“The Nigerian Police is badly disorganised, disenchanted, demoralised, understaffed, ill-equipped and ill-trained,” Okiro said, adding that funding remains the force’s biggest challenge.

He also noted that manpower shortages have forced several police stations to shut down, stressing that security agencies require greater investment to effectively protect lives and property across the country.

Irabor Calls for Stronger Security Investment

Speaking at the same event, Irabor emphasised that Nigeria’s security challenges require sustained investment in personnel, training, logistics and modern operational capabilities.

The former Chief of Defence Staff said strengthening the country’s security framework goes beyond creating new institutions, stressing that existing agencies must receive adequate financial and operational support to perform effectively.

He also advocated reforms that would improve policing efficiency while ensuring professionalism, accountability and public confidence in the nation’s security institutions.

Experts Push for Comprehensive Security Reforms

Both retired officers agreed that addressing insecurity requires more than increased troop deployment, urging government authorities to adopt long-term reforms capable of improving intelligence gathering, operational coordination and rapid response capabilities.

They argued that security agencies should be equipped with modern technology and sufficient logistical support to confront increasingly sophisticated criminal networks operating across different parts of the country.

The former security chiefs also stressed the importance of reviewing the country’s policing structure while ensuring any reforms are backed by clear legal safeguards and effective oversight mechanisms.

Call for Urgent Government Action

The remarks come as Nigeria continues to grapple with terrorism, banditry, kidnapping and other violent crimes in several regions.

Okiro and Irabor maintained that improving security will require sustained political commitment, adequate funding and institutional reforms capable of strengthening the capacity of security agencies to respond effectively to emerging threats.