President Bola Tinubu
President Bola Tinubu has been urged to consider hiring private military contractors (PMCs) to tackle the rising wave of terrorism and banditry in Nigeria.
A former Director-General of the National Orientation Agency (NOA), Alhaji Idi Farouk made the suggestion in an interview with NAN on Sunday.
Alhaji Farouk suggestion is coming on the heels of the recent violence in Yelewata, Benue State, where scores of residents were killed and displaced.
“The reality of Nigeria’s security problem today is that our military and para-military agencies cannot do it alone, because they don’t have enough equipment and
personnel,” Farouk said.
He believed that engaging well-trained PMCs could tilt the balance in favor of the Nigerian state.
Farouk noted that the government has a constitutional duty to safeguard lives and property, and that hiring more security personnel or establishing state police could help address the security challenges.
“If we want more boots on the ground, let’s hire more personnel… Government should bring in personnel to help tackle these people who are creating problems for us, if that is the only option left,” he said.
He also expressed concern that some top military officers had become more politicians than professional military officers, and that engaging retired generals and senior security officers could help restore normalcy.
“Some of the top military officers today have become more of politicians than professional military officers,” Farouk stated.
NAN
