THE RISE IN INSECURITY AND THE WAY FORWARD: A CALL FOR STRATEGIC REFORMS
By Comrade Usman Abdulsalam (AISLT)
Nigeria today stands at a difficult crossroads. The persistent rise in insecurity—ranging from banditry and kidnapping to rural violence, organized criminality, and sabotage of national assets—has grown into a national crisis demanding urgent, innovative reforms. What should ordinarily attract collective condemnation has, unfortunately, evolved into an economic venture for certain actors who profit from instability while posing as its solution.
This troubling reality did not emerge overnight. It reflects years of systemic weaknesses, policy inconsistencies, and an overdependence on foreign validation rather than the strategic optimization of our abundant national resources. As we outsourced our economic strength, we inadvertently opened the door for external influence and internal exploitation, giving room for insecurity to mutate into a complex enterprise.
Today, the threats we face are often framed as ethnic, religious, or regional. But beyond these labels is a deeper struggle against groups and individuals who benefit from disunity, those who weaponize fear and division to maintain control. The insecurity challenge has therefore become both a national emergency and a strategic battleground for the soul of our nation.
The words of the late General Sani Abacha remain profoundly relevant: “Any insurgency that lasts for 48 hours should be attributed to government failure.” This is not a condemnation but a reminder that prolonged insecurity often reflects structural gaps within leadership, coordination, and accountability systems.
Mr. President, Nigerians are asking: How do we dismantle the entrenched networks that have turned insecurity into a profitable venture? How do we rebuild a system where peace is restored, trust is strengthened, and national intelligence serves the people rather than a privileged few?
One fundamental issue lies in the overcentralization of security architecture. While the National Security Adviser (NSA) plays a critical coordinating role, expecting a single office to fully address Nigeria’s multi-layered security threats across a nation of over 200 million people and six geopolitical zones with distinct challenges, is no longer realistic. Concentrating this strategic responsibility in one individual risks not only overstretching the system but empowering political actors in ways that may compromise long-term national stability.
A forward-thinking alternative is to decentralize strategic security coordination by appointing Zonal Security Advisers for the six geopolitical zones. This model would:
Provide region-specific intelligence and rapid-response strategies
Enable the President to receive accurate, weekly, ground-level briefings
Reduce bureaucratic delays that often cost lives and property
Prevent the concentration of sensitive national intelligence in the hands of a single individual
Strengthen accountability and strengthen national cohesion
Each zone faces unique threats, whether rural banditry in the North-West, violent extremism in the North-East, resource-related tensions in the Niger Delta, kidnapping across the South/North Central, or communal clashes in the Middle Belt. A decentralized structure would allow targeted responses instead of one-size-fits-all interventions that rarely succeed.
Ultimately, restoring safety means creating an environment where citizens can sleep peacefully, where children can go to school without fear, where worship centers remain safe, and where security personnel operate without constant threats to their lives.
Nigeria’s future depends on bold leadership, sincere reforms, and the courage to break away from outdated systems. It requires government, community leaders, security agencies, and citizens to stand united against those who profit from chaos.
The choice before us is clear, innovate or allow insecurity to define our national destiny.
May God bless our leaders with wisdom.
May God protect our security personnel.
And may God bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
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