The Federal Government has launched a strategic initiative to deploy military veterans to secure Nigeria’s “ungoverned spaces,” aiming to bolster national security and revitalize economic activity in conflict-prone regions.
To lead this effort, the Minister of Defence, General Christopher Gwabin Musa (retired) (represented by Permanent Secretary Richard Pheelangwa), inaugurated an 18-member committee on Tuesday in Abuja.
The committee is tasked with reclaiming these lawless areas for economic use and repositioning the Nigerian Legion Corps of Commissionaires and Veterans as a more effective security force.
In a statement released Wednesday by Ministry spokesperson Enderline Chukwu, the Minister noted that utilizing veterans would provide a critical layer of experienced personnel to support local development.
This move signals a shift toward a more sustainable security model that addresses the socio-economic roots of instability rather than relying solely on traditional military offensives.
“The Minister of Defence Gen. Christopher Musa (retd) has inaugurated an 18-man membership committee on “Reclaiming Ungoverned Spaces for Economic Viability and the Repositioning of the Nigerian Legion corps of Commissionaires and Veterans” as part of a renewed effort to strengthen Veterans welfare and ensure active participation of military veterans in strengthening national security.
“The Minister reeled out the three terms of reference of the committee to include: (1) To reposition the veteran community to support national economic development. (2) To deploy veterans to secure Ungoverned Spaces and ensure that the areas are brought under effective oversight and development.
” (3) To reposition the Nigerian Legion Corps of Commissionaires, strengthen operational effectiveness, facilitate veterans reintegration and promote their contribution to national security,” it stated.
Musa stressed that the initiative was part of the Federal Government’s commitment to ensuring that veterans who served the country with honour are empowered to live productive lives after retirement, while still contributing to national stability.
“Deliberate integration of veterans into security and development initiatives would enhance local ownership, improve intelligence gathering and foster trust between communities and the state,” he added
He urged committee members to adopt innovative and forward-looking approaches that would produce actionable recommendations capable of supporting a holistic strategy for securing ungoverned spaces, promoting inclusive growth and sustaining peace.
Members of the committee were drawn from the Joint Services Department of the ministry, the Nigerian Legion, Defence Headquarters, the Defence Intelligence Agency, the Nigerian Army, Navy and Air Force, as well as the offices of the Ministers of Defence and State for Defence.
Integrating veterans into the national security architecture has long been proposed as a solution to the military’s personnel shortage.
This initiative by the Ministry of Defence promises to be a game-changer; by reclaiming lawless areas and reducing the pressure on active combat units, it offers a sustainable path toward strengthening local security efforts across the country.
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