PSC chair identifies key challenges undermining security agencies in Nigeria

The Chairman of the Police Service Commission (PSC), DIG Hashimu Argungu (retd.), has highlighted intra- and inter-agency conflicts, the politicization of crime and security issues, and overlapping roles as major obstacles hindering the effectiveness of Nigeria’s security agencies.

He warned that these challenges continue to weaken the criminal justice system, making it difficult to uphold due process.

Speaking on Thursday, February 13, 2025, at the maiden annual lecture on curbing insecurity in Nigeria, organised by the Alumni Association of the National Institute for Security Studies (AANISS) at the Shehu Musa Yar’Adua Centre, Abuja, DIG Argungu further identified lack of funding, neglect of ethical standards, and poor coordination and collaboration as additional setbacks to security operations.

Delivering a lecture on “Mobilising Stakeholders to Curb Insecurity in Nigeria: A Practical Approach,” the PSC Chairman said that unemployment, abject poverty, and ignorance remain core drivers of insecurity.

He called for urgent, multi-stakeholder action to address these socio-economic challenges.

He also stressed the critical role of information and communication technology (ICT) in modern security management, advocating for an integrated security framework with harmonised standards.

According to him, leveraging ICT would help eliminate torture, reduce unlawful detentions, and enhance Nigeria’s global competitiveness while driving digital economic transformation.

DIG Argungu described the fight against insecurity as a collective responsibility, urging key stakeholders to adopt experience-driven, practical solutions to safeguard the nation.