Insecurity: Police, NSA Advocate Joint Operations, Intelligence Sharing

Nigeria’s security chiefs on Tuesday renewed calls for sustained joint operations and seamless intelligence sharing, warning that fragmented responses to insecurity continue to undermine national stability, economic growth and public confidence.

Officials of the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) and the Nigeria Police Force made the case at the National Economic Council (NEC) Conference in Abuja, where security was discussed as a development issue with direct implications for investment, jobs and social cohesion.

The session, moderated by former Chief of Defence Staff, Gen. Martin Luther Agwai (rtd), examined how closer collaboration among security institutions can improve outcomes at a time when threats ranging from terrorism and banditry to kidnapping, organised crime and cybercrime remain persistent.

Speaking on behalf of the National Security Adviser, the Minister of Defence, Gen. Christopher Musa, said the Federal Government has, since 2023, intensified efforts to harmonise operational mandates, strengthen intelligence synchronisation and align security planning with national development priorities.

He cautioned that insecurity and economic decline often reinforce each other, noting that prolonged threats disrupt livelihoods, discourage investment and erode trust in governance.

According to Musa, the administration’s recalibrated security doctrine is embedded in the Renewed Hope National Development Plan 2026–2030, which treats security as a cross-cutting pillar linked to economic diversification, human capital development, private-sector growth and environmental sustainability.

He stressed that lasting safety cannot be achieved through isolated or purely force-based approaches, adding that the emerging strategy prioritises intelligence fusion, inter-agency coordination and technology-driven surveillance.

“Sustainable security is not achieved by force alone. Intelligence fusion, coordination and technology must work together with governance and development,” Musa said.

He added that closer cooperation among the Armed Forces, intelligence services and law-enforcement agencies is already improving situational awareness nationwide and reducing operational response times.

Reinforcing the message, the Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, represented by the Deputy Inspector-General in charge of Information and Communication Technology, Frank Mba, said the growing convergence of operations and training across agencies reflects a shift from rivalry to collective responsibility.

“Our priority is collective progress, not competition,” Mba said, noting that modern crime patterns require unified national action.

Mba explained that shared intelligence platforms and joint field exercises are strengthening the ability of agencies to track cross-border and inter-state criminal networks, as crime trends across geopolitical zones become increasingly interconnected.

He said predictive, data-driven policing supported by real-time information exchange is critical to staying ahead of criminal networks.

In his closing remarks, Musa expressed optimism about the country’s outlook, urging Nigerians to embrace collective responsibility in tackling security challenges and emphasising the need for both kinetic and non-kinetic measures.

“The future is bright if we work together. No organisation or community can do it alone. Good governance, fairness, trust and inclusion must go hand in hand with security operations,” he said, adding that local governments and communities remain crucial to early warning and preventive action.