Michael Olugbode in Abuja
Interagency rivalry and the inability of security institutions to work seamlessly together are undermining Nigeria’s response to insecurity, the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Commandant of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Dr. Olusola Odumosu, has warned.
Odumosu raised the alarm yesterday in Abuja at the launch of his book, ‘Nigeria’s Security Dilemma: Rivalries and Implications, Vol. 1’, where security experts and government officials unanimously called for greater synergy among security agencies to tackle the country’s mounting security challenges.
The NSCDC commandant argued that no single security organisation possesses the capacity or expertise to effectively address the multifaceted threats confronting Nigeria, insisting that a fragmented approach to national security has only emboldened criminal elements.
“No one agency has it all. There is a need for a united front because security is not what one agency can do. No one has a monopoly of wisdom,” he said.
Odumosu identified institutional rivalries, competition for relevance and lack of coordinated action as major impediments to a robust national security architecture.
Echoing similar concerns, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Interior, Senator Adams Oshiomhole, said national security must rise above institutional ego and political affiliations.
“When it comes to security, there is no PDP, no APC. We need to understand that,” he said.
The former Edo State governor advocated mandatory intelligence sharing among security agencies, stressing that intelligence gathering is ineffective unless it is promptly acted upon through coordinated operations.
He recommended closer collaboration between the Department of State Services (DSS), the Police and the military, arguing that integrated intelligence and operational support are critical to dismantling criminal networks.
Drawing from his experience as governor, Oshiomhole recalled how intelligence-led operations backed by military firepower had led to the arrest of numerous kidnappers and criminal suspects.
The senator, however, expressed concern that some successful operations ended in frustration when suspects were discharged or granted bail despite the efforts invested in apprehending them.
Also speaking at the event, the Minister of Defence, represented by Rear Admiral Olusanya Bankole (rtd), acknowledged the challenges posed by interagency competition and disclosed that efforts were already underway to improve collaboration across the nation’s security institutions.
“The stability of Nigeria is more important than the ego of any agency,” he said.
In his remarks, Deputy Commandant General of NSCDC in charge of Technical Services, Zakari Ibrahim Ningi, who represented the Commandant General of the Corps, Prof. Ahmed Audi, described insecurity as a global phenomenon that has impacted every sphere of human endeavour and said the book’s focus on security cooperation could not have come at a more appropriate time.
The event was attended by senior security officials and policymakers, including the Inspector General of Police, Mr. Olatunji Disu, represented by the FCT Commissioner of Police.
The book was formally launched by Hon. Tayo Odumuyiwa, who supported the publication with a donation of N20 million, underscored growing recognition of the need for fresh thinking and stronger cooperation in addressing Nigeria’s security crisis.
