Sam Amadi, director of Abuja School of Social and Political Thought, wants Nigeria's military leadership held accountable for the country's security crisis. He made the call on Friday during an appearance on Arise Television's "Prime Time" programme.
Amadi, who previously chaired the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission, was responding to President Bola Tinubu's decision to expand the Nigerian Army. He argued that Nigeria's security approach and troop morale both need serious examination.
"Some of our generals and leaders must be held accountable," Amadi said. He stressed that corruption among top officials damages the entire nation.
"When the public sector is corrupt, it weakens how well institutions function and damages people's faith in government," he noted. This kind of rot, he added, makes it harder for Nigeria to tackle its major problems.
Simply adding more soldiers won't fix the security problem, Amadi insisted. He pointed out that troops are stretched thin across too many duties, from peacekeeping operations to managing impassable roads and fighting criminals.
"A military deployed for peacekeeping, for all kinds of things on the road, for even managing the roads, because our roads are now impassable," he said. "There are criminals everywhere."
His comments highlight growing concern that Nigeria's security challenge runs deeper than troop numbers, requiring instead a thorough overhaul of military leadership and government integrity.
