₦airaland Forum

“Our army is small. We need to have an army of at least 500,000 personnel,” the retired general said on the Friday edition of Inside Sources with Laolu Akande, a socio-political programme aired on Channels Television.

The Nigerian military has about 230,000 personnel, according to the ranking platform, Global Fire Power. Maj-Gen Akem-Vingir said much of the successes of the military in the theatre of war in Nigeria’s North-East zone have been lost because of the lack of manpower to hold the ground after clearance operations.

He said until there is sufficient manpower to secure territories after terrorist dislodgement, the blood-thirsty marauders would continue to regain those places.

He said, “When you are fighting insurgency, you must capture ground and hold it. It takes troops to do that. When you capture ground, then you build and hold so that people can resume their lives and there will be security but if you are clearing areas and you are not holding, then they (terrorists) will come back.”

The retired general also said the government should not recognise the newly formed terror group Lakurawa wreaking havoc in the North-West geopolitical zone of the country.

Maj-Gen Akem-Vingir described the Lakurawa group as “one small tiny group” seeking attention.

He said, “We shouldn’t recognise them, we shouldn’t even discuss them because they will think they are being noticed now and want to do more.

“They are one small tiny group that shouldn’t even get out attention; that should be swatted away – that shouldn’t be given any energy to feed upon. They are seeking attention.”

He urged the government to empower the military with the right equipment, training, and the “full authority” to crush the enemies of the state.

The former army provost said, “The president needs to give the instruction to security agencies in the open where Nigerians will hear it.

“When he does that openly, and tell them I want to see your needs on my table in two weeks because, without security, you can’t be talking about governance.”

Edygrin:
A former Provost Marshall of the Nigerian Army, Maj-Gen Pat Akem-Vingir (retd), says the military needs at least 500,000 personnel to eliminate terror groups like Boko Haram and the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP).


https://www.channelstv.com/2025/02/07/military-needs-500000-personnel-to-defeat-insurgency-ex-army-provost/

ItisWell22:
God’s grace to those interested. 🙏

SeverusSnape:
500,000 people for bandits and Terrorists to use for shooting practice. Okay na.

DuBLINGreenb:
Conscript NYSC and jobless youths

EyeCumInPeace:
No problem.

"Recruit 50million youths and feed them agbado, cassava, corn..."
~~Tinubu

EyeCumInPeace:
No problem.

"Recruit 50million youths and feed them agbado, cassava, corn..."
~~Tinubu

EDUECO:
A house dividend against itself cannot stand!

Who are the insurgents? Majority of the insurgents are disgruntled Nigerians!

The best solution to end insurgency is good governance in which the welfare of the citizens is the number one priority of acquiring political position and not the mindless looting of the funds attached to a political office.

Edygrin:
A former Provost Marshall of the Nigerian Army, Maj-Gen Pat Akem-Vingir (retd), says the military needs at least 500,000 personnel to eliminate terror groups like Boko Haram and the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP).


https://www.channelstv.com/2025/02/07/military-needs-500000-personnel-to-defeat-insurgency-ex-army-provost/

divinevie:
Every politician should make their able body children available

divinevie:
Every politician should make their able body children available

Edygrin:
A former Provost Marshall of the Nigerian Army, Maj-Gen Pat Akem-Vingir (retd), says the military needs at least 500,000 personnel to eliminate terror groups like Boko Haram and the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP).


https://www.channelstv.com/2025/02/07/military-needs-500000-personnel-to-defeat-insurgency-ex-army-provost/

israelmao:
Defeating enemies is not always numerically dependent but tactically and strategically dependent.When Egypt, Jordan and Syria came against Israel on Yom Kippur day in 1963 iat first it looked as if Israel was losing on the first two days but on the third the war took a drastic turn and Israel recovered many lost grounds and even more with just few soldiers.

RealLordZeus:
I don't think it's the job of the army to secure territories after troop clearance
That's the job of police

In summary we need more police coz the majority of the few ones we have are stationed with VIPs ....