02/06/2026
STRENGTHENING NIGERIA'S INTERNAL SECURITY ARCHITECTURE: A CALL FOR GREATER SUB-NATIONAL RESPONSIBILITY AND BORDER SECURITY REFORMS
By: Mayowa Adeoye
Security remains one of the most fundamental responsibilities of government at every level. While discussing Nigeria's security challenges last year, I maintained that many of the lapses within our internal security framework should not be viewed solely as a federal responsibility. State governments, as the chief custodians of security within their respective jurisdictions, must assume a greater level of accountability for protecting lives and property.
The era when governments could cite inadequate technology as an excuse for security failures has long passed. Today, modern surveillance systems, intelligence-gathering technologies, data analytics, drone monitoring, biometric identification systems, and other advanced security solutions are readily available across the world. These tools should be strategically deployed to strengthen security operations and improve public safety. This is precisely one of the reasons security votes and related allocations exist, to provide the resources required for proactive and effective security management. Unfortunately, there are growing concerns that some administrations may not be maximising these resources to their full potential.
I have also consistently advocated for the long-term consideration of a comprehensive national border and territorial security infrastructure for Nigeria. While such an undertaking would undoubtedly require substantial investment, it is a necessary conversation when weighed against the immeasurable value of human life and the devastating losses suffered daily as a result of banditry, kidnapping, terrorism, and organised criminal activity.
Across several advanced nations, state and regional boundaries are supported by robust security mechanisms, professionally trained personnel, and integrated surveillance systems. Movement across strategic locations is often subject to lawful screening and security checks designed to detect threats and prevent criminal activities. Public spaces, transport corridors, and critical infrastructure are monitored through coordinated security networks involving law enforcement agencies, paramilitary organisations, and technological support systems.
Every state government must therefore rise to its constitutional and moral obligation to guarantee the safety of citizens within its territory. Likewise, local government administrations should play an active role in community-based security initiatives, intelligence gathering, and crime prevention strategies. Public office carries responsibility, and that responsibility must include the protection of lives and property.
Any public official who knowingly compromises security operations for political advantage or personal interests should be held accountable under the law. The loss of innocent lives can never be justified, excused, or politicised.
Recent incidents across various parts of the country continue to highlight the urgency of the situation. Reports of kidnappings, attacks on communities, and the abduction of schoolchildren and educators serve as painful reminders that many Nigerians continue to live under the constant threat of insecurity. Families have been devastated, communities traumatised, and economic activities disrupted.
Citizens who possess credible information concerning criminal networks or those aiding and abetting insecurity should cooperate with law enforcement agencies by providing actionable intelligence through lawful channels. Security is a collective responsibility, and silence in the face of criminality only emboldens perpetrators.
I therefore call upon the Federal Government, the National Assembly, state governments, and state legislatures to work collaboratively towards developing comprehensive security frameworks tailored to the unique realities of each state. Particular attention should be given to strengthening interstate border security, enhancing intelligence-sharing mechanisms, deploying modern surveillance technology, and conducting regular security operations in vulnerable communities.
Furthermore, periodic security audits, strategic patrols, community engagement programmes, and coordinated inter-agency operations should become integral components of our national security strategy.
No nation can achieve sustainable development, economic prosperity, or social progress without peace, stability, and effective security governance. The protection of citizens must remain the highest priority of every responsible government.
History will judge leaders not merely by the offices they held, but by the lives they protected and the legacy of safety they left behind.
Courtesy:
Hon. Mayowa Adeoye
Bariga–Somolu, Lagos State, Nigeria
