Security analyst Jonathan Onoja has identified poor welfare for military personnel as a major driver of Nigeria’s worsening insecurity, warning that without addressing the conditions of troops, efforts to combat insurgency will remain ineffective.
Speaking in an interview with ARISE News on Monday, Onoja described Nigeria’s insecurity as multidimensional but stressed that declining morale within the military is a critical factor weakening operations on the ground.
According to him, the current security architecture is suffering from what he termed “structural demoralization,” where soldiers lack the motivation and support needed to effectively engage insurgents and bandits.
“Well, I’ve often said that Nigerian insecurity is multidimensional… it seems to be a sort of general demoralization, structural demoralization,” he said.
He explained that while government reports may suggest progress, the reality on the ground reflects a lack of effective combat engagement due to poor troop motivation.
Onoja argued that welfare concerns, including unpaid pensions and uncertainty about post-service life, are discouraging soldiers from fully committing to the fight against insecurity.
“How will the troops be motivated when they’re not even guaranteed their welfare?” he asked.
He pointed specifically to the leadership vacuum at the Military Pension Board as a key issue, noting that delays in appointments and payments are affecting both serving personnel and retired veterans.
According to him, this uncertainty creates fear among troops about the future of their families should they die in service, further weakening morale.
“No troop… wants to go and pay the ultimate price when they’re not even sure what will happen to their families,” he said.
Onoja also highlighted gaps in intelligence utilization and inadequate military equipment, warning that insurgents are becoming more sophisticated, including deploying advanced technologies such as armed drones.
Beyond military strategy, he emphasized the need for non-kinetic approaches, including poverty alleviation, education, and community engagement, to address the root causes of insecurity.
“While we are fighting the kinetic war… we must ensure that we bring in poverty alleviation,” he stated.
He further argued that public cooperation is essential, stressing that communities must trust security agencies and actively contribute intelligence to combat threats effectively.
Concluding, Onoja maintained that improving troop welfare alone could significantly change the trajectory of Nigeria’s security challenges.
“Once we have been able to prioritize the welfare of our troops, the problems will be at least half-solved,” he said.
By Ojo Triumph
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