Shehu made the remarks during an interview on Channels Television, on Thursday, 4 June, 2026, while discussing strategies for combating insurgency, banditry and other forms of insecurity across Nigeria.
According to him, the scale of the threats facing the country requires a substantial increase in military manpower to effectively secure vulnerable communities and support ongoing operations.
The retired military officer expressed concern that proposals discussed during the 2023 election campaign regarding mass recruitment into the armed forces have not been implemented.
He argued that increasing the number of personnel would strengthen Nigeria's ability to confront criminal and terrorist groups operating across different regions.
“With due respect to the president when he was campaigning, there was this talk about 'I will give them agbado, I'm going to take millions'. I don't understand how the president forgot that now after entering,” Shehu said.
He noted that security personnel are often overstretched due to the multiple crises confronting the country, including insurgency in the North-East, banditry in the North-West and kidnapping in several parts of the country.
According to him, recruiting more personnel would help ease operational pressure on existing troops and improve the military's overall effectiveness.
Shehu further argued that military expansion should be accompanied by adequate training, equipment and welfare packages to ensure recruits are properly prepared for the demands of service.
He maintained that a larger and better-supported force would enhance the country's ability to respond to emerging threats.
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