The critical role of security agencies in tackling Nigeria’s cancer burden has been stressed at the National Institute for Security Studies (NISS).
Speaking during the institute’s 2025 Health Week in Bwari, Abuja, former First Lady of Kebbi State, Dr. Zainab Shinkafi-Bagudu, delivered a cancer awareness lecture to participants of the Executive Intelligence Management Course 18 (EIMC 18). The 10-month executive program has drawn about 80 participants from six African countries, including Nigeria and Rwanda, representing institutions such as the Department of State Services (DSS), Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Immigration Service, Airport Authorities, State Governments, and Federal Ministries.
Dr. Bagudu highlighted cancer as a global health crisis responsible for nearly 10 million deaths annually, stressing the interdependence between health and security. According to her, security agencies are pivotal in advancing national cancer control efforts.
She identified five priority areas where policing and security interventions can strengthen cancer care: dissemination of accurate information to counter myths and misconceptions; safeguarding medical supply chains; protecting health workers in insecure regions; promoting accountability in health financing, including the Cancer Health Fund (CHF) and the Basic Health Care Provision Fund (BHCPF); and reinforcing health security as an integral part of national security.
The lecture was interactive, with participants engaging in issues such as cancer screening, the impact of lifestyle choices on cancer risks, and strategies for building a stronger health workforce.
Dr. Bagudu also toured the Umaru Shinkafi Medical Centre, named after her late father, who served as Director-General of the National Security Organisation (NSO), the precursor to the DSS, between 1979 and 1983.
Commending the NISS organising committee, sponsors, and partners for integrating cancer into the security studies curriculum, she affirmed that collaboration between the health and security sectors is vital to reducing Nigeria’s cancer burden and strengthening the overall health system.
