Lakurawa group seeking attention, not a threat – Gen. Vingir

Retired Major General Pat Akem-Vingir, a former Provost Marshal of the Nigerian Army, has dismissed the Lakurawa terrorists as a minor group merely seeking attention.

He emphasized that instead of acknowledging them, the government should focus on strengthening the military to eliminate them.

Speaking on Inside Sources with Laolu Akande on Friday, Akem-Vingir warned that giving the group any form of recognition could embolden them to escalate their activities.

“We shouldn’t acknowledge them, and we shouldn’t even discuss them because that would make them feel noticed and push them to do more,” he said. “They are just a tiny group that doesn’t deserve our attention. They should be swiftly dealt with and denied any platform to thrive.”

The retired general urged President Bola Tinubu to equip the Nigerian military with advanced weaponry, comprehensive training, and full authority to dismantle threats to national security. He stressed that without security, effective governance would be impossible.

“The president must publicly instruct security agencies, so Nigerians are aware of the directive,” he said. “He should demand a concrete plan on his desk within two weeks because, without security, governance cannot be sustained.”

General Akem-Vingir also highlighted the urgent need to increase the Nigerian military’s manpower. He stated that at least 500,000 personnel are required to effectively combat terror groups like Boko Haram and the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP).

He explained that winning battles alone is not enough—troops must be stationed in recaptured areas to prevent insurgents from reclaiming lost territories.

“Our army is small. We need to have an army of at least 500,000 personnel,” the retired general said.

According to Global Fire Power, Nigeria currently has a military strength of about 230,000 personnel, which the retired general said is inadequate.

He said, “When you are fighting insurgency, you must capture ground and hold it. It takes troops to do that. When you capture ground, then you build and hold so that people can resume their lives and there will be security but if you are clearing areas and you are not holding, then they (terrorists) will come back.”