National Security Emergency: Generals react

• ‘It’s a signal that business-as-usual has ended’ — Retired Admiral
• Ground forces will feel this instantly — Retired General
• “If we don’t identify financiers, we are chasing shadows” — Ex-DSS Director
• Analysts divided over scope, clarity of declaration

By Evelyn Usman

On Wednesday, November 26, 2025, when President Bola Tinubu declared a National Security Emergency, ordering an unprecedented surge in military and police recruitment as kidnappings and terrorist attacks surged across multiple states, a collective, weary sigh echoed across the country with a mixture of long-awaited relief and deep-seated apprehension.

For families in the North-East who sleep with one eye open, for farmers in the Middle Belt whose farmlands have become graveyards, and for travellers who whisper silent prayers before embarking on any journey, the announcement was a chord that struck both hope and urgency. The question on every lip, from the bustling cities to the terrorised villages, is simple: Is this finally the turning point? What difference would it make?

To dissect the implications of this seismic declaration, Saturday Vanguard engaged senior retired military and intelligence officers, whose decades of service provide a unique and critical window into the nation’s raging battles. Their verdicts, while acknowledging the potential, are laced with stark warnings and a palpable sense of caution.

“This is more than a statement… it is a battle order” — Retired Admiral

A retired Admiral, who once commanded Nigeria’s maritime security operations, described the declaration as “a signal to the entire defence architecture that business-as-usual has ended.”

In a conversation with with Saturday Vanguard, with strict directive not to mention his name in print, he revealed that the proclamation activates “extraordinary national security protocols that remove the bottlenecks slowing down troop deployment, intelligence fusion, and emergency procurement.”

He explained that Nigeria’s insecurity has mutated beyond traditional banditry.

In a tone laced with anger, he condemned the brazen disregard for human life and the sheer arrogance with which bandits and terrorists continue to terrorize communities across Nigeria.

He said “From the Middle Belt’s farmlands, where innocent farmers are slaughtered in broad daylight, to villages in the North-East reduced to ash and blood, these criminals operate with impunity, mocking the very institutions meant to protect citizens. Every act of kidnapping, every bombing, every senseless killing is not just a crime; it is a defiance of the nation itself, a challenge to the authority of the state, and a big blow to Nigerian who bank on government to protect them.

“These groups are now structured networks with supply chains, informants, cross-border collaborators, and political protectors. A security emergency allows the presidency to disrupt these networks without waiting for bureaucratic approvals,” the Admiral stated.

He added that the Navy would play a key role in cutting off arms flows: “Eighty percent of the weapons used by non-state actors enter through porous borders and creeks. With this declaration, patrols can intensify without administrative delay to enable tighter border control, more naval patrols, and drone surveillance, or total closure of borders and supply chains”.

“Ground forces will feel this instantly” — Retired Army General

Echoing this sentiment, a retired General who once led counter-insurgency efforts in the North-East told Saturday Vanguard that the declaration would give soldiers the legal and operational freedom to act faster.

According to the General who also preferred anonymity, “Previously, a commander might need multiple signatures before moving a battalion. An emergency removes those layers. What this means is faster interception, faster response, and fewer civilian casualties”.

But he warned that the emergency must not be allowed to become a political slogan.

“If field commanders don’t get the logistics, air support, and actionable intelligence, this declaration will amount to noise. The presidency must supervise performance tightly,” the retired General insisted.

“Air power will shape the outcome” — Retired Air Vice Marshal

For a retired Air Vice Marshal who spoke from his Atlanta, United States of America location, he said “the emergency represents a chance to “dominate the battlespace” through precision and technology.

“Insurgents survive because they move faster than our approval systems. When an emergency is declared, the Air Force can deploy Intelligence, Surveillance, Reconnaissance, drones, surveillance flights, and strike aircraft immediately,” he told Saturday Vanguard, also preferring to be remain anonymous on the grounds that many solutions proferred in the past were not heeded or acted upon.

According to him, “early detection is the turning point in any counter-terrorism operation. If you see them before they act, you control the battle. This emergency, if backed with resources, will restore that advantage”.

“Intelligence will make or break this emergency” — Retired DSS Director

Not everyone is celebrating yet. A retired Director of the Department of State Services, DSS warned that the declaration would fail unless the government “strikes the head of the snake.”

“You can deploy soldiers across the country, but if you don’t identify financiers, political backers, and foreign collaborators, you will only be chasing shadows,” he said.

He emphasised the need for a unified intelligence grid. “This emergency must compel the Army, Air Force, Navy, Police, DSS, NFIU and Immigration to share intelligence in real-time. Without that, we will keep fighting blind,” he cautioned.

Providing a critical counterpoint, Dr. Bone Efoziem, a former senior military officer and security analyst, warned that the declaration, as presented, lacked clarity and may fall short of delivering the expected impact.

“When a state of emergency is announced in such a general way, its scope appears vague. All that seems to have been added is the recruitment of additional military and police personnel,” he said.

He questioned whether the challenge had been a lack of manpower or other operational difficulties faced by security personnel.

According to Efoziem, “the question to ask is whether the issue has been insufficient manpower all along, or the challenges security personnel have faced. In my view, the federal government should have identified the specific areas of concern, declared a state of emergency there, and allowed a partial use of martial law. This would enable the armed forces to carry out full military operations. Remember, the President is the Commander-in-Chief. The Chief of Defence Staff, the Chief of Army Staff, and other service chiefs must wait for orders before they cascade directives down. In a targeted state of emergency, however, they may have more liberty to take actions that could restore peace. What we are hearing now is a general declaration of a state of emergency on national security.

This means the federal government will have more freedom to act, potentially bypassing some legislative delays. However, it does not imply that a state of emergency has been declared in any particular part of the country, which is my main concern”.

Time to remobolise the Military, Police —Amachree

In stark contrast, former DSS Director, Dennis Amachree, commended the President for what he described as a necessary step long overdue.

“This is the time to remobilize the military and police force to stop the insecurity threatening the country. All terrorism supporters and financiers should be brought to book, now. This is the time to keep politics aside and address this national threat, once and for all,” he stressed.

Amachree urged the government to ensure the new powers translate into practical gains, including expediting the bill for state police and occupying ungoverned spaces.

“A State of Emergency will reshape the long-awaited restructuring of the security architecture,” he asserted.

As the nation holds its breath, the consensus among those who have fought these battles before is clear. The declaration is a powerful tool, but it is not a magic wand. As one officer grimly told Saturday Vanguard, “We are in a race against time. This declaration is the starter’s gun. Whether we win depends on what happens next.”

The hope of a nation now rests on the swift, ruthless, and coordinated action that must follow.

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