The Federal Government is considering reintroducing tollgates on Nigerian highways, with modern surveillance technology to help tackle kidnapping, banditry and other criminal activities.
Minister of Defence, General Christopher Musa (retd.), disclosed this during an Abuja roundtable organised by the APC Progressive Strategy Roundtable.
The event, titled Promise to Proof: The Renewed Hope Conversation, was convened by Ismaeel Ahmed, Executive Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the Presidential Initiative on Compressed Natural Gas and Electric Vehicles (PiCNG & EV).
Musa said the proposed tollgates would serve a dual purpose: generating revenue and strengthening security through technology-enabled vehicle identification and monitoring.
He supported a suggestion that motorists could contribute to security funding through tollgate charges, saying Nigeria might have made a mistake by dismantling the previous tollgate system.
However, he stressed that any reintroduction must be backed by modern technology capable of identifying vehicles through their registration numbers and processing payments electronically.
According to the minister, motorists would not necessarily need to stop for manual payments, as surveillance systems could identify and monitor vehicles while providing security agencies with useful information to track suspected criminals.
Musa Advocates Stronger National Identification System
The defence minister also called for improvements to Nigeria’s national identification system through the integration of Personal Identification Numbers (PINs), facial recognition and fingerprint technology.
He said a stronger identification framework would help security agencies establish identities, monitor movements and track criminal networks.
Military Working Towards Gradual Withdrawal From Internal Security
Musa acknowledged that the military had become overstretched by prolonged deployments across the country to tackle internal security challenges.
He said the armed forces were working towards gradually withdrawing from internal security operations by strengthening the capacity of the Nigeria Police Force to handle responsibilities within its mandate.
According to him, the military was supporting the police through training, operational assistance and other capacity-building initiatives.
The government is also pursuing additional recruitment and equipment procurement to improve the police’s ability to respond to security threats.
Musa disclosed that ₦5.4 trillion was allocated to defence in the 2026 budget, alongside plans to recruit an additional 12,000 military personnel.
He said the funding would support the acquisition of modern weapons, surveillance systems and operational platforms to improve intelligence gathering, mobility, firepower and rapid response.
Security Forces Kill Over 300 Terrorists and Bandits
Providing an update on military operations, Musa said security forces had killed more than 300 terrorists and bandits, including over 10 commanders, in operations conducted in the week preceding his presentation.
He attributed the reported gains to improved intelligence gathering, joint military operations and stronger cooperation among security agencies.
However, the minister identified porous borders as a major obstacle to tackling insecurity, particularly Nigeria’s extensive borders with neighbouring countries.
He said criminal groups and arms traffickers continued to exploit these routes to move across the region.
Musa added that Nigeria had maintained security relationships with Niger, Burkina Faso and Mali despite their withdrawal from the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), particularly in military training and cooperation around border communities.
Musa Seeks Greater Public Support for Security Operations
The minister also urged Nigerians with expertise in cybersecurity, drone manufacturing and other defence technologies to present their innovations for possible collaboration with the Defence Industries Corporation of Nigeria (DICON).
He stressed the importance of community intelligence, encouraging residents to report suspicious activities to security agencies.
Musa maintained that tackling kidnapping, banditry and terrorism required stronger collaboration between security agencies and members of the public.
