Nigeria’s security and policing institutions yesterday emphasised that sustained joint operations and robust intelligence sharing remain critical to preserving national stability, stressing that deeper collaboration among agencies is fast becoming the cornerstone of the country’s evolving security framework.

The Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) and the Nigeria Police Force stated this yesterday at the National Economic Council (NEC) Conference in Abuja, where security deliberations were situated within the broader context of economic growth and social cohesion rather than as a purely enforcement responsibility.

The session was moderated by a former Chief of Defence Staff, Gen. Martin Luther Agwai (rtd).
Speaking on behalf of the National Security Adviser, the Minister of Defence, Gen. Christopher Musa, said the Federal Government had, since 2023, accelerated efforts to harmonise operational mandates, strengthen intelligence synchronisation and align security planning with national development priorities.

He observed that insecurity and economic decline often reinforced each other, warning that persistent threats, including terrorism, banditry, kidnapping, organised crime and cybercrime, continued to undermine livelihoods, deter investment and weaken public confidence in governance.

Reinforcing the call for collaboration, 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 among security institutions reflected a shift from rivalry to collective responsibility.

MBA, who spoke as a panellist, noted that shared intelligence platforms and joint field exercises were strengthening agencies’ ability to track cross-border and inter-state criminal networks, explaining that crime patterns across geopolitical zones were increasingly interconnected and require predictive, data-driven policing supported by real-time information exchange.

Both officials underscored the importance of public trust and community participation, stressing that sustainable security must be built in partnership with state governments, local authorities and grassroots stakeholders to generate credible intelligence and long-term resilience.

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

MEANWHILE, legal luminaries have raised fresh alarm over the deteriorating security situation in Nigeria, declaring that the Federal Government has failed in its primary constitutional duty to protect lives and property.

Citing Section 14(2)(b) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), which mandates that the security and welfare of the people shall be the primary purpose of government, the lawyers contended that the persistent senseless killings across the Federation are clear evidence of systemic collapse.

Speaking in an interview with newsmen yesterday, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Chief Mike Ahamba, said the government’s inability to secure its citizens amounts to an admission of failure.

Ahamba expressed deep concern over the tactical superiority of criminal elements currently ravaging the country.

He warned that the insurgency, once confined to the Sambisa Forest and parts of the North, is now moving southward.

Echoing the concerns, legal analyst Mr Stephen Ubimago, pointed to the 2014 National Conference (Confab) Report as the starting point for any meaningful solution.

He advocated the immediate decentralisation of security, including the establishment of state and regional police forces.