Segun Atanda/
Former Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Tukur Buratai (retd), has said Nigeria’s security agencies possess the capacity to track and locate bandits and kidnappers, questioning why criminal groups that openly publicise their activities online continue to evade arrest.
Buratai made the remarks during an interview on TVC while reacting to the recent abduction of schoolchildren and teachers in Oyo State, a case that has renewed public concern over the country’s worsening security crisis.
His comments have since circulated widely on social media, with video clips of the interview attracting significant attention and debate.
The retired army chief said he found it difficult to accept claims that security agencies were incapable of tracing criminal groups that frequently release videos, photographs and messages from their hideouts.
“I don’t believe security agencies cannot locate bandits if they can locate ordinary citizens and social media influencers,” Buratai said during the interview.
He added: “I don’t think they failed to locate. If they can locate ordinary citizens or social media influencers, I don’t believe they cannot locate these bandits that flaunt their loot or whatever activities they do.”
His remarks came against the backdrop of outrage over the kidnapping of pupils and teachers from schools in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State, where one of the abducted teachers was beheaded by the attackers.
The incident has intensified calls for stronger action against banditry and kidnapping networks operating across the country.
While insisting that security agencies possess the technological and intelligence capabilities required to track criminal groups, Buratai stopped short of directly accusing them of negligence.
“I would not like to say it is a capacity-building challenge, but I think they may have their reasons,” he said.
The former army chief instead argued that Nigeria’s security architecture requires continuous strengthening through recruitment, training and improved welfare for personnel.
“There must be capacity building of all the security agencies, and continuously,” he said, adding that more troops, police officers and other security operatives should be recruited to meet the country’s growing security challenges.
Buratai also expressed confidence that Nigeria possesses specialised military capabilities for rescue operations involving kidnapped victims.
According to him, the armed forces maintain specially trained units capable of conducting rescue missions and responding to complex security threats.
The comments are significant because they come from one of the military officers who spent the longest period leading Nigeria’s counter-insurgency operations.
Buratai served as Chief of Army Staff from 2015 until 2021 and was at the forefront of military campaigns against Boko Haram and other armed groups before later serving as Nigeria’s ambassador to the Republic of Benin.
The viral circulation of the interview has generated widespread reactions online, with many Nigerians interpreting Buratai’s remarks as a challenge to security agencies to make greater use of surveillance, intelligence and technological tools in the fight against banditry and kidnapping.
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