Author Advocates Hybrid National Service To Strengthen Security
The need to preserve a highly professional Armed Forces focused on operational readiness, technological advancement and inter-service cooperation has been identified as central to Nigeria’s defence transformation efforts.
This position was highlighted at a public event where stakeholders examined options for strengthening national service and improving security architecture.
According to a speaker at the forum, policy decisions must balance ambition with feasibility and align national aspirations with institutional readiness.
He noted that Nigeria’s policy outlook should remain pragmatic, consultative and forward-looking, suggesting innovative hybrid approaches that expand civic service opportunities, encourage voluntary reserve participation, enhance youth skills acquisition and build community resilience.
Such strategies, he said, are consistent with the Federal Government’s Renewed Hope Agenda, which prioritises human capital development, national unity and institutional strengthening as pillars for sustainable security and prosperity.
Speaking at the event, the author of the book under review, Mohammed Abubakar, cited countries such as Finland, Israel, South Korea and Singapore as examples where mandatory military service has been deployed to strengthen national security.
He disclosed that a survey conducted during his research indicated that 73.1 per cent of respondents supported mandatory military service, while 79.7 per cent believed it could help address insecurity.
Abubakar emphasised the need for increased manpower, improved technology and better governance to effectively tackle insecurity, warning that without accountability and strong institutions, security initiatives wouldbe undermined.
