A former Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Tukur Burutai, has warned that allowing insurgency to linger was dangerous to the country.

He pointed out the need to tackle the problem and suggested locking down Nigeria’s borders to manage the situation.

Speaking during an appearance on Channels Television on Friday, he argued that the borders should be locked down just as it was during the deadly COVID-19 pandemic.

The former army chief emphasised that community resilience, which involves collaboration among political, traditional, and religious leaders, is necessary to find lasting solutions to address insecurity in Nigeria.

He also said that he had earlier warned that the insurgency would last longer, hence the need for a long-term plan.

Burutai, who was the Chief of Army Staff during the administration of former President Muhammadu Buhari, said that the Nigerian military should be seen as a solution to insecurity, rather than a hindrance.

On the lingering issue of state police, he opined that while the idea was important, it could be abused by politicians to intimidate their opponents.

According to him, Nigeria can safely say that the idea of state police has come to stay if the issue of political interference can be addressed.