Chidoka Decries Lack of Special Forces, Says Nigeria Fighting Terrorism the Wrong Way

Former Minister of Aviation, Osita Chidoka, has faulted Nigeria’s current approach to combating terrorism, describing it as inadequate and outdated. He said it remains a national embarrassment that the country has yet to establish a specialised counter-terrorism force despite battling insurgency since 2008.

Speaking on Arise Television, Chidoka argued that Nigeria’s security challenge is not about increasing troop numbers but about building elite units with distinct capacity for counter-terror operations.

According to him, President Bola Tinubu’s recent directive calling for thousands of additional soldiers and police officers amounts to a “knee-jerk reaction” that fails to address the root deficiencies within the nation’s security architecture.

“We have been at this since 2008 and should have a special force by now. What we need is a forest force, not more policemen and soldiers,” he said.

Chidoka pointed to Colombia’s successful response to its own security crisis, noting how the country established a dedicated Jungle Force trained with support from the United States Navy. The unit, he said, operated with its own helicopters, intelligence system and strike capability—elements Nigeria has yet to replicate.

He also raised concerns about the structure of the 2025 police budget, lamenting that out of over ₦1.2 trillion allocated to the force, about ₦1.1 trillion is consumed by salaries, leaving less than ₦100 billion for operations, logistics and other critical overheads.

Chidoka maintained that without a deliberate shift toward building specialised, well-equipped forces tailored to Nigeria’s terrain and threats, the war on terrorism will continue to suffer setbacks.