Tinubu: Public Trust, Inclusive Policing, Synergy Among Agencies Vital to Security

•Military advocates wide-ranging approaches to curtail effect of threats on civilians

•Non-state actors should be included in fight against terrorism, others, says General Laka

Chiemelie Eszeobi in Lagos, Deji Elumoye, Linus Aleke in Abuja and James Sowole in Abeokuta

President Bola Tinubu, yesterday, emphasised the need for inter-agency collaboration, public trust, and inclusive policing in tackling banditry, kidnapping, armed robbery, and other security challenges confronting the country.

Tinubu spoke in Abeokuta while declaring open a three-day retreat for senior police officers in the country.

The president sought more support for the Nigeria Police in the performance of their jobs, saying the business of adequate security provision is a shared responsibility of all citizens.

Relatedly, the military, yesterday, said the contemporary security landscape in Nigeria required inclusive approaches to curtail the effect of security threats on civilians, especially women and children, who remained the most vulnerable during armed conflicts.

Similarly, National Coordinator of the National Counter Terrorism Centre, Office of the National Security Adviser (NCTC-ONSA), Major General Adamu Laka, warned that the use of force alone could not end terrorism. Laka suggested the inclusion of non-state actors to achieve results.

Tinubu was represented by Vice President Kashim Shettima at the senior police officers retreat, with the theme, “Improving Nigeria’s Internal Security and Economic Prosperity Through Inclusive Policing.”

Tinubu said his administration recognised the importance of strong internal security to the prosperity of the country, and it had been doing all necessary to reposition the Nigeria Police to more effectively perform their constitutional mandate of protecting lives and property across the country.

He said his government had been working to bridge the security infrastructure and equipment gap through a comprehensive and sustainable programme that included renovating police barracks, improving their mobility, and upgrading combat and protective gears.

Tinubu said, “While the Nigerian police is constitutionally empowered to maintain internal security, protect lives and property, and uphold public order, it’s essential to recognise that security is a shared responsibility.

“Therefore, community and citizens must actively collaborate with the police, to foster a safer society, because no matter how well funded and equipped or well-trained a police force is, it cannot succeed without the cooperation of the people it serves.

“Public engagement and trust are central in the process of inclusive policing. Synergy among security agencies is also vital to eliminating banditry, terrorism kidnapping, armed robbery, and other forms of criminality.

“You must, therefore, in your deliberation focus more on strategies to achieve multi agencies collaboration in tackling all forms of criminal acts in the country.”

The president promised to always prioritise the welfare of the police, adding that aside from the implementation of the new minimum wage, the government would be ready to grant financial incentives to deserving officers.

In his welcome address, Inspector General of Police (IGP), Kayode Egbetokun, said the annual gathering served as a crucial platform for reviewing police operational strategies, exchanging insights, and realigning the country’s policing objectives with the evolving global security landscape in the country.

Egbetokun said this year’s theme was in line with Tinubu’s security vision. He underscored “the determination to cultivate a police force that is professionally competent, intelligence-driven, and equipped to confront emerging threats proactively”.

The IGP said intensified operations by the police and commitment to cooperation with the military and other security agencies in the fight against banditry, kidnapping, and other organised crimes had yielded significant results, in the past year alone.

He said to sustain the onslaught against criminal acts in the country, all the commands and formations had been mandated to implement a comprehensive action plan aimed at reducing crime rate by 50 per cent in 2025. He explained that this mandate would form a crucial part of the discussion at the conference.

Egbetokun stated, “As we continue with the current policing year, our focus remains steadfast on enhancing intelligence-sharing, strengthening forensic and digital investigative capabilities, and upholding zero tolerance for corruption and human right violation within the force.

“Simultaneously, we will continue to prioritise the welfare and well-being of our officers to boost morale and enhance service delivery.”

Ogun State Governor, Dapo Abiodun, said adequate security for all was a top priority of his administration.

Abiodun said apart from being the industrial capital of the country, about two million people traversed Ogun State to neighbouring states daily. He said this was the reason his administration continued to support the police to strengthen the security architecture of the state.

The governor urged the police to continue to uphold professionalism, respect for human rights, and integrity to build public confidence.

Abiodun said the business of security concerned all, stressing that Nigerians must continue to support the security agencies, particularly the police, to strengthen the fight against threats to peace, law and order in the country.

The retreat had in attendance Inspector General of Rwanda National Police, Felix Namuhoranye; and Inspector General of the National Police Service of Kenya, Douglas Kirocho.

Equally at the retreat were Chairman of Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Mr Ola Olukoyede, and Chairman of Police Service Commission (PSC), Mr Hashim Argungu, who was represented by Taiwo Lakanu, among other security chiefs and top government functionaries.

Military Seeks Inclusive Approach to Tame Effect of Security Threats on Civilians

The military said the current security landscape in Nigeria required broad strategies to curtail the effect of threats on civilians, especially women and children, who were the most vulnerable during armed conflicts.

It stressed that armed conflicts, such as insurgencies, terrorism, and other humanitarian crises, disproportionately affected women, children, and other vulnerable groups, making it imperative for security institutions to develop gender-sensitive policies and operations.

The military made the declaration at the opening of a five-day training course for Gender Focal Officers in Security Sector Institutions (Course 3), organised by the National Defence College, Nigeria, in collaboration with UN Women, in Abuja.

Commandant of NDC, Rear Admiral Olumuyiwa Olotu, said effectively integrating gender perspectives into security policies, operations, and institutional frameworks in line with UN Security Council Resolution (UNSCR) 1325 would go a long way in curbing the effect of security threats on civilians.

Olotu stated that achieving that goal required addressing the challenges faced by Gender Focal Officers and providing them with the necessary tools and support to succeed.

He explained, “The adoption of UNSCR 1325 and subsequent resolutions underscores the need for women’s participation in peace and security processes, reinforcing the importance of gender mainstreaming at tactical, operational, and strategic levels.

“Gender focal officers play a crucial role in integrating gender perspectives into security policies, operations, and institutional frameworks in line with the UNSCR 1325 and related global commitments.

“However, many face structural and operational challenges, including limited resources, unclear mandates, and inadequate training.”

Programme Specialist for Peace and Security at UN Women, Peter Mancha, who represented the UN Women Country Representative, said the project was initiated based on existing gender gaps.

According to him, societal norms had long defined rigid roles for both men and women, placing unnecessary limitations on their contributions.

General Laka: Include Non-state Actors in Fight against Terrorism

National Coordinator of the National Counter Terrorism Centre, Office of the National Security Adviser (NCTC-ONSA), Major General Adamu Laka, said the use of force alone could not end terrorism.

Laka suggested the inclusion of non-state actors in the fight against terrorism. He stressed that this realisation had led the centre to place significant emphasis on the non-use of force to counter terrorism, focusing on addressing the root causes of terrorism and violent extremism.

Speaking at the opening of the Strategic Commander’s course on Crisis Management, organised by the centre, in collaboration with the British High Commission, Laka said, “Since potential targets and tactics used by terrorists evolve and are highly unpredictable, it has become necessary to include non-state actors in the fight against terrorism and all forms of violent extremism.

“Our experience in counterterrorism over the years has shown that kinetic approaches alone cannot end terrorism. Therefore, we place significant emphasis on non-kinetic approaches to counterterrorism, focusing on addressing the root causes of terrorism and violent extremism.”

Laka said through several initiatives, the centre had promoted a whole-of-society and whole-of-government approach that integrated efforts across all sectors to reduce the appeal of extremism.

“As you are aware, the aim of this course is to provide strategic commanders with the requisite training required to support their respective strategic operations in the event of a major incident or crisis,” he said.

Laka stated that crisis management was the process by which organisations or governments addressed disruptive and unexpected events that threatened to harm the entity, stakeholders, and the general public.

He stated that the process involved strategic planning and execution of actions aimed at mitigating the negative effects of crises, while ensuring that operations continued as smoothly as possible.

Laka said managing crises provoked by terrorists involved a blend of anticipation, preparation, organisation, and application.

He believed realistic training of personnel involved in crisis management must incorporate the fact that terrorist acts did not occur at the most convenient times.

Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), General Christopher Musa, represented by Defence Chief of Training, Rear Admiral Ibrahim Shettima, told the strategic commanders that their role in responding to crisis situations required that they made tough decisions, thought critically, and acted decisively.

Musa admonished them to develop innovative solutions and act collaboratively.

He stated, “Addressing our security challenges requires a whole-of-society approach and is not limited to the security agencies alone.

“As strategic-level leaders from the armed forces, security agencies, and ministries, departments, and agencies, you play a crucial role in our nation’s efforts in responding to crisis situations.”

The UK High Commissioner to Nigeria, Richard Montgomery, represented by the Defence Adviser, Brigadier General Tom Harper, said, in his opening remarks, “This inaugural course will set the foundations for two further planned courses that will be delivered to your action officers to prepare commanders at all levels to react effectively and efficiently in the event of a terrorist attack or crisis.”