Nigeria, Dec. 7 -- Nigeria is once again preparing for a sweeping expansion of its security forces. President Bola Ahmed Tinubu's recent declaration of a national "security emergency," accompanied by an order to recruit tens of thousands of new police officers and soldiers, was framed as an urgent response to escalating kidnappings, banditry, and extremist violence. The announcement was designed to project strength at a moment of mounting public frustration and international scrutiny. Yet, beneath the symbolism lies a harder truth: Nigeria's security failures are not rooted in insufficient manpower. They stem from a crisis of doctrine, integrity, leadership, and political will.

Despite commanding one of Africa's largest security establis...