The military will pull out from ongoing internal security operations in various parts of the country, beginning from the first quarter of 2020.
The decision was taken during a Security Council meeting presided over by the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, on Monday.
Shortly after the meeting, some governors in separate interviews with The PUNCH, appealed to the Federal Government not to withdraw troops from their states.
The governors include Samuel Ortom of Benue State, Darius Ishaku of Taraba State and their counterpart in Zamfara State, Bello Matawalle.
The Federal Government’s decision on troop withdrawal is coming amid fresh threats by the Islamic State West Africa Province, now working in collaboration with Boko Haram.
Only last week, ISWAP circulated a video online where it showed 10 Christians who were beheaded on Christmas Day.
However, the Security Council clarified that the military would first conduct a “threat assessment” to determine the specific areas where the troop withdrawal would cover.
The council decided that in place of the military, the Nigeria Police Force, which has the primary responsibility of providing internal security, will assume its duties fully in such areas.
The Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas, who spoke with State House correspondents on the outcome of the meeting, explained that the withdrawal was to allow the military to focus on its primary duty of defending the nation against external aggression and respond adequately to “emerging threats.”
He recalled that following an upsurge in violent crimes, aside from Boko Haram insurgency, the government had launched several joint military operations to combat the situation.
Ekwe Ibas mentioned banditry, kidnapping, piracy and pipeline vandalism as some of the internal security threats that necessitated the military operations to ensure the safety of lives and property.
He stated, “You will recall that the various operations in the country in the North-East, North-West, North-Central, the South-East as well as the South-West where all members of the Armed Forces are taking part as well as the intelligence agencies, have ensured that we all enjoyed a better holiday period that has just been observed.
“We also recall that in those areas where the military has been able to achieve the desired objectives, from the first quarter of next year, the civil authorities will be preparing to take back those responsibilities as the military draws back its forces from those areas to enable it to focus its attention on other emerging threats and areas of concern.”
The CNS added that ordinarily, the military had no business with providing internal security, so long as the country was not at war with other countries.
However, he admitted that whenever it became necessary to involve the military, it was only proper that the troops should be pulled out once calm returned to the areas under security threats.
He explained further, “Basically, most of the internal security challenges that we have are supposed to be the responsibility of the civil authorities, the police in particular.
However, so long as Nigeria is not engaged in war outside, it means whatever internal crisis that we have the responsibility rests with the police. In the circumstances that the military has to come in to stabilise the situation, it is only proper that once one area has been dominated by the military and the situation has returned to normal, that the Nigeria Police takes over the responsibility. And in this instance, we also have the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, which is supposed to support the police in this regard.
You will recall also that Mr President recently approved the recruitment of about 10,000 Nigerians into the Nigeria Police Force, hoping that once these Nigerians get the appropriate training, they will be in the position to fill the gaps.
“You are aware that Nigeria is such a big country that we cannot tie down the military even in those areas that the deliverables have been achieved and the objectives achieved.”
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