When Security Agencies Become Saboteurs Of National Interest

The fiercest battles are not always fought on distant frontlines or along rugged terrains—they often rage within the very institutions meant to protect a nation. Nigeria’s worsening security quagmire is not just about external threats like insurgency or banditry. It is about something far more insidious: interagency rivalry, misaligned priorities, and the disturbing emergence of vested interests within our security architecture.

From the fight against terrorism to oil bunkering and, more recently, illegal mining, a disturbing pattern persists—security agencies working at cross purposes, often undermining one another. This internal disarray has repeatedly compromised operations, giving room for criminals to exploit the cracks in our national defense system.

The recent incident in Rafin Gabas, Kokona Local Government Area of Nasarawa State, is a grim reminder. Men of the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) special mining marshals, on a legitimate mission to dismantle an illegal mining operation, were resisted—shockingly—not by the culprits, but by sister security agencies . In the heat of the confrontation, tempers flared, and operational lines blurred. When the dust settled, the illegal miners—reportedly Chinese nationals—had vanished. The NSCDC team was left stranded, their mission sabotaged not by the lawbreakers, but by those sworn to uphold the law.

This is not just an embarrassment; it is a national disgrace.

The Nigerian security framework cannot afford to be an arena for turf wars, egos, or institutional supremacy. The only allegiance that should matter is to national interest—undiluted and non-negotiable. When security agencies begin to protect foreign interests against the Nigerian state, it is not just dereliction of duty—it borders on treason. Covering for illegal miners, particularly foreigners, is tantamount to aiding espionage and economic sabotage. Our natural resources are not just commodities—they are sovereign assets, the backbone of our economic survival and national pride.

How did we arrive at a place where agents of the state become stumbling blocks to national progress? This is a question that demands urgent answers.

What we need is a clearly defined national ethos—one that aligns every arm of the security establishment with the preservation and protection of Nigeria’s strategic assets. Illegal mining, like oil theft and terrorism, should be treated as a direct assault on the nation’s integrity. There should be no room for compromise, no haven for interference.

The Federal Government must move swiftly and decisively. First, by ensuring there are enforceable protocols that prevent interagency interference in approved operations. Second, by strengthening the legislative and logistical backbone of specialized units like the NSCDC mining marshals. Their mandate is not just to chase illegal miners—it is to safeguard the soul of Nigeria’s economic future.

Finally, there must be consequences. Any security officer or agency found aiding or abetting foreign entities in circumventing our laws must face the full wrath of justice. National interest must never be up for auction—not to the highest bidder, not to foreign exploiters, and certainly not to rogue agents within.

If we do not reclaim the sanctity of our institutions, we risk becoming a country where lawlessness is not only tolerated but protected—from within. That would be the ultimate betrayal. And Nigeria, bruised and battered as she may be, deserves better.

Critically musing

–Abdullahi O Haruna Haruspice is a journalist, author and a patriot.