By Abdul Lauya
A growing concern is emerging within Nigeria’s defence and public policy space over the underutilisation of military veterans who, despite their experience, continue to be sidelined while the country spends heavily on foreign contractors for security training.
This critique is gaining traction among security analysts and veterans’ advocacy groups, who argue that Nigeria is neglecting a critical asset, its retired officers and men, many of whom left the military not after 35 years of service, but much earlier due to restructuring, promotions bottlenecks, or field casualties. The misconception that only long-serving personnel qualify as “true veterans” is not just inaccurate but dangerous, analysts say.
“These are not relics of the past,” said one senior retired officer who spoke with Eye Reporters under condition of anonymity. “They are living assets, shaped by years of service and sacrifice. Many are in their 40s and 50s, still energetic, mentally sharp, and deeply patriotic. Yet, society confines them to the fringes.”
Security sector insiders confirm that Nigeria spends billions of naira annually on military contracts with foreign trainers, many of whom lack combat experience in African terrain. Yet the country’s own veterans, who fought in ECOMOG missions and domestic counterinsurgency operations, remain unemployed or relegated to low-level security guard roles.
“This is not just flawed, it’s wasteful,” a defence policy analyst told Eye Reporters. “We trained ourselves during the Liberia and Sierra Leone operations. Why are we now acting like we are incompetent? What changed?”
Foreign contractors, often from private military companies based in Europe, the U.S., or South Africa, are reported to earn massive fees for tactical training and advisory roles. But critics argue their presence offers limited long-term value, as their interest ends with the paycheck, not the peace of Nigeria.
“They don’t live here. They have no roots in our soil,” said another veteran. “For them, it’s business. For us, it’s legacy. If Nigeria fails, they pack up and leave. We don’t have that luxury.”
The call now is not for handouts, but for a strategic reintegration of veterans into defence and national development planning. Experts say this can come in the form of structured programs: involving veterans in military training institutions, strategy think tanks, logistics hubs, and even peacebuilding initiatives in restive communities.
Many retired professionals are not just soldiers. They are engineers, doctors, pilots, IT experts, and intelligence analysts. Yet the private sector often reduces them to security supervisors and CSOs, missing the depth of expertise they offer.
The Defence Headquarters (DHQ) and the Ministry of Defence (MOD) have yet to announce any major shift in veteran engagement policy. But pressure is mounting, especially as insecurity festers and defence budgets swell with little visible result.
Analysts warn that Nigeria cannot afford to overlook this potential during wartime. A veteran-backed reserve corps or advisory force, if funded and managed well, could complement the active-duty military without exhausting the nation’s budget or morale.
“The irony is glaring,” one analyst remarked. “We have a skilled reserve force on standby, but we pay foreigners to teach us how to fight on our own soil. That is not just poor economics, it’s a national disgrace.”
Eye Reporters call on the federal government to release targeted funds not as pensions, but as reintegration grants, strategically positioned to attract retired officers and men back into active national service in support roles.
“Give them just half of what you pay these foreign trainers,” one advocate said, “and you’ll see better-trained soldiers, higher morale, and real national security gains.”
As Nigeria continues to confront internal and external threats, one truth is becoming impossible to ignore: peace must come first. And in securing peace, veterans are not an afterthought, they may be the missing link.
