Nigeria must invest in drones, cyber warfare, missile defence – Buratai

Abuja: Former Chief of Army Staff, retired Lt.-Gen. Tukur Buratai, has called for greater investment in drones, cyber warfare, missile defence and other emerging technologies to prepare the Nigerian Army for future conflicts.

Buratai made the remarks in a paper titled “A New Dawn for Nigerian Defence: The Strategic Expansion of the Nigerian Army to 12 Divisions,” which was made available to newsmen on Monday.

He said future warfare would increasingly depend on technology, making force modernisation critical to national security.

According to him, the ongoing expansion of the Nigerian Army should be complemented with the acquisition of advanced weapons and technological capabilities.

He identified intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance drones, precision strike systems, electronic warfare and cyber defence as priority areas.

Buratai also advocated investments in advanced communication systems, armoured platforms, engineering equipment and logistics assets.

He said consideration should be given to establishing specialised formations with capabilities in missile defence, drone warfare, cyber operations and information warfare.

According to him, these domains represent the future of armed conflict and require early investment.

The former army chief said the acquisition of modern force multipliers would transform the Nigerian Army into a more technologically capable and information-driven force.

He urged the Federal Government to sustain investments in force modernisation to ensure the military remained ahead of emerging threats.

Buratai said technological superiority would enhance precision, reduce casualties and improve operational effectiveness across all theatres of operation.