Abuja, Nigeria
Nigeria’s military has been ordered to dismantle non-essential checkpoints along major highways, in a strategic shift designed to redirect soldiers from routine traffic duties to frontline operations against insurgents. The Defence Headquarters issued the directive on 5 December, with implementation reportedly accelerated this week, officials confirmed.
Nigeria’s Defence minister, Christopher Musa, a retired general appointed this month, announced the policy during his Senate screening briefing, emphasising that static roadblocks have diverted troops from core missions. “We want to enhance operational mobility and intelligence gathering,” he stated, adding that police and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) would assume responsibility for routine stops.
The move addresses longstanding complaints from motorists about delays and extortion at the roughly 200 military posts across the country, which have clogged arteries like the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway and Abuja-Kaduna highway.
This reform builds on Musa’s broader agenda to eradicate insecurity by 2026, including a “shoot-on-sight” authorisation for troops facing threats and a ban on ransom payments to bandits. Analysts note that over 15 military outposts were overrun by Boko Haram factions earlier this year, partly due to stretched resources.
By freeing up personnel, estimated at 10,000 soldiers currently tied to checkpoints, the policy could boost patrols in volatile northern and central regions, where kidnappings and ambushes have surged.
The handover aims to streamline travel ahead of the Christmas rush, potentially easing economic strains on traders who lose billions annually to delays. Security experts describe it as a pragmatic recalibration, arguing that checkpoints often serve more as revenue points than effective barriers against mobile threats like bandit convoys.
Historical precedents, such as the 2015 dismantling under the country’s former president, Muhammadu Buhari, yielded mixed results but underscored the need for robust police training to fill the void.
Public response to the decision reflects cautious optimism tempered by some scepticism. Many travellers express relief at the prospect of travelling across the country without being harassed by security personnel at checkpoints. They view the change as a long-overdue relief for daily commuters.
In spite of these troubling experiences, some voice apprehensions about heightened vulnerability on highways, particularly in the north and south-east, where past reductions in military presence correlated with spikes in attacks.
Many do not trust the police to manage security challenges on the country’s highways. They decry the potential shifts from one form of intimidation to another, believing that a clearer NSCDC mandate would prevent overreach.
Security experts point out that no checkpoint has notably curbed illegal crossings or bandit movements, which frames the policy as a net positive for resource allocation.
Critics, including northern governors at a recent security summit, warn that Nigeria’s centralised policing model strains under current demands, advocating decentralised reforms to sustain the transition.
Proponents counter, however, that empowering troops for proactive engagements, rather than passive monitoring, could decisively weaken insurgent networks, echoing successful counter-terrorism models in neighbouring Sahel states.
The government pledges monitoring to reduce possible risks, with Musa vowing accountability for any lapses. If executed effectively, pundits say, this could indicate a turning point in Nigeria’s protracted battle against insecurity, balancing mobility with vigilance.
