Thursday 11 Feb 2021 @ 13:38
Chatham House
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Nigeria’s New Military Chiefs Face Uphill Battle

EXPERT COMMENT

Nigeria’s newly appointed service chiefs have a brief window of opportunity to change their strategic approach, embrace reform and move beyond past failures before old habits set in.

President Muhammadu Buhari’s recent decision to appoint new leaders at the head of Nigeria’s military has put the spotlight on the shortcomings of the country’s armed forces. Nigeria is perhaps more insecure now than at any time since its civil war raged in the late 1960s. The Council on Foreign Relations conservatively estimates that conflict across Nigeria has killed 38,000 in the past 5 years, while the UN assesses that the Boko Haram conflict has displaced over 3.4 million civilians across the deeply impoverished Lake Chad region. Even Nigeria’s once-placid northwest is experiencing an unprecedented wave of violence, crime and kidnapping.

The military have performed poorly against this formidable range of security threats. As a result, Africa’s largest economy and most populous country faces increasing risks to its long-term stability, socioeconomic health, investment climate and relationships with key external partners. Change was desperately needed.

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Original article link: https://www.chathamhouse.org/2021/02/nigerias-new-military-chiefs-face-uphill-battle

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