Insecurity: Experts, Stakeholders Call For Community Engagement

Security experts, policymakers, and stakeholders have advocated intelligence-led security operations and community-driven approaches to addressing security challenges nationwide.

They called at the second edition of the National Security Summit, organised by the Green Assembly Initiative, to assess Nigeria’s security challenges and recommend actionable solutions.

The summit, with the theme “Insecurity and the Nation: The Journey Thus Far,” provided a platform for evaluating past efforts, current realities, and future strategies for tackling insecurity.

In his keynote address, the Nigerian Army Resource Centre director, Major General Garba Wahab (Rtd), emphasised the importance of adaptive defence mechanisms.

He highlighted the critical role of intelligence-driven operations and technology in countering emerging threats, urging the government to invest in cybersecurity and surveillance.

He said, “The world is changing, and with globalisation, the security dynamics have also evolved.

Non-state actors, cyber threats, and transnational crimes pose significant challenges. The question is: How prepared are we as a nation to tackle these threats head-on? We must embrace innovation, intelligence-led security operations, and community-driven approaches to address these challenges.”

Wahab also urged stakeholders to prioritise security as a national imperative: “ A nation that cannot secure itself cannot develop. We must take ownership of our security framework, strengthen our institutions, and work collectively to build a safer, more prosperous Nigeria.

The Convener, Comrade Duke Alamoye, emphasised the need for a grassroots intelligence network to strengthen real-time information flow.

He said, “While the efforts of our security agencies are commendable, the complexity of contemporary security threats necessitates a collaborative approach. Intelligence is most effective when it is timely and sourced from the grassroots. I propose the establishment of a network comprising ten youth representatives in each of Nigeria’s youth representatives in each of Nigeria’s 774 local government areas, creating a cohort of 7,740 vigilant youths who will serve as the eyes and ears of their communities,” he stated.

He further called for zonal security summits to address region-specific threats and ensure that strategies are tailored to the peculiarities of each geopolitical zone.

LEADERSHIP reports that participants acknowledged the persistent threats of insurgencies, communal clashes, kidnappings, and cybercrimes such as sextortion.

Despite these challenges, significant progress has been made, including the recent establishment of the Central Command and Control Centre by the Federal Capital Territory Administration to enhance intelligence gathering and emergency response.

The efforts of security agencies, such as the Armed Forces and the Nigeria Police Force, and regional outfits, like Amotekun Corps and Tantita Security Services, were also commended.