The Federal Government has announced plans to deploy military retirees to help secure Nigeria’s ungoverned spaces as part of efforts to strengthen national security and stimulate economic activities in conflict-prone areas.
The initiative followed the inauguration of an 18-member committee by the Minister of Defence, Gen. Christopher Musa (retd.), tasked with reclaiming ungoverned spaces and repositioning the Nigerian Legion Corps of Commissionaires and Veterans.
The committee was inaugurated on Tuesday at the Ministry of Defence headquarters in Abuja, with the minister represented by the Permanent Secretary, Mr Richard Pheelangwa, according to a statement issued by the ministry on Wednesday.
Speaking at the event, Musa said deploying veterans would complement ongoing military operations by bringing experienced personnel into local security and development efforts, especially in areas with weak state presence.
He explained that the strategy marks a shift from an over-reliance on military offensives to a more inclusive approach that addresses the socio-economic roots of insecurity while enhancing intelligence gathering and community trust.
Members of the committee were drawn from the Ministry of Defence, Defence Headquarters, the Nigerian Legion, the armed forces, intelligence agencies and the offices of the Ministers of Defence and State for Defence, with expectations that the initiative would ease pressure on frontline troops and reduce criminal activities nationwide.
