The Federal Government has unveiled plans to deploy retired military personnel to help reclaim ungoverned spaces and strengthen national security across the country.
The initiative follows the inauguration of an 18-member committee by the Minister of Defence, General Christopher Musa (retd.), titled Committee on Reclaiming Ungoverned Spaces for Economic Viability and the Repositioning of the Nigerian Legion Corps of Commissionaires and Veterans. The inauguration took place on Tuesday at the Ministry of Defence in Abuja.
According to a statement issued by the Deputy Director of Information and Public Relations, Enderline Chukwu, the minister, who was represented by the Permanent Secretary of the ministry, Mr. Richard Pheelangwa, said the move was part of the Federal Government’s broader commitment to ensure that military veterans who served the nation with honour are empowered to live dignified and productive lives after retirement.
Musa described the initiative as a deliberate and strategic policy intervention aimed at addressing long-standing structural and operational challenges that have limited the contribution of the defence community to national development.
He noted that the Nigerian Legion is a critical institution with a proud history of service, sacrifice and patriotism, adding that evolving socio-economic realities make it necessary to reform and reposition the corps for greater relevance, sustainability and impact.
The defence minister advocated a shift from an over-reliance on purely military operations to a more comprehensive and inclusive approach to national security, stressing that while military action remains essential, lasting peace can only be achieved by addressing the socio-economic factors that fuel insecurity.
The committee’s terms of reference include repositioning veterans to support national economic development, deploying veterans to secure ungoverned spaces and bring them under effective oversight, and strengthening the Nigerian Legion Corps of Commissionaires to improve operational effectiveness, reintegration and contribution to national security.
Musa urged committee members to adopt innovative, practical and forward-looking strategies that reflect current realities and help build trust between communities and the state.
Membership of the committee was drawn from the Joint Services Department of the Ministry of Defence, the Nigerian Legion, Defence Headquarters, Defence Intelligence Agency, the Nigerian Army, Navy and Air Force, as well as representatives of the offices of the Minister of Defence and the Minister of State for Defence.
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