President Bola Tinubu has been advised to adopt intelligence-driven security operations and dismantle criminal financing networks as part of efforts to address Nigeria's insecurity challenges. This advice was given by security consultant Olufemi Adeniji in an interview with The Guardian in Lagos.
Complex Security Crisis
Adeniji expressed worries that Nigeria's security crisis had become increasingly complex, requiring a coordinated national response rather than reliance on military force alone. He regretted that various regions of the country continued to grapple with different forms of insecurity, including insurgency and terrorism in the Northeast, banditry and mass kidnappings in the Northwest, farmer-herder clashes in the North-Central region, and separatist-related violence in parts of the Southeast. Adeniji noted that insecurity had also spread to the Southwest, citing recent kidnapping incidents in Ogbomoso, Oyo State as evidence that no region of the country was immune to the threat.
Intelligence and Financial Disruption
Adeniji opined that while military operations were critical, the quickest gains could be achieved through improved intelligence gathering and targeted efforts to cripple the financial structures sustaining criminal groups. He said: “The consequences have been devastating. Thousands of lives have been lost, millions displaced from their homes, agricultural production disrupted, schools shut down in vulnerable communities, and investor confidence weakened. If Nigeria must focus on one measure with the fastest impact, it should be combining better intelligence gathering with aggressive disruption of kidnapping and bandit financing networks. Armed groups survive because they can recruit, move, communicate, and profit. Reducing those capabilities can weaken them faster than military force alone.”
Intelligence-Led Operations
Adeniji called for a shift from reactive security deployments to intelligence-led operations capable of identifying and neutralizing criminal and terrorist leaders before attacks occur. Among other measures, he advocated the deployment of modern surveillance technology, round-the-clock monitoring of identified flashpoints, communication interception capabilities, and improved data analysis systems. He also urged greater collaboration among the military, police, intelligence agencies, and local authorities to ensure seamless information sharing and coordinated responses.
Crackdown on Criminal Financing
On criminal financing, Adeniji recommended a crackdown on ransom payment networks, illegal mining operations, arms trafficking routes, and individuals sponsoring criminal activities. He further advised the government to freeze assets linked to criminal enterprises and prosecute sponsors, informants, and collaborators who aid armed groups.
Permanent Security Bases and Infrastructure Protection
Besides, he called for the establishment of permanent security bases in vulnerable areas, rather than temporary deployments, which he argued often leave communities exposed once security personnel withdraw. He advised that critical infrastructure such as schools, markets, highways, and farming communities should receive enhanced protection, as they are frequent targets of kidnappers and bandits.
Police Reforms and Swift Justice
Adeniji also suggested reforms within the policing system, including the recruitment and training of more officers, improved equipment and logistics, and the redeployment of personnel from V.I.P. protection assignments to community policing and crime prevention duties. He further stressed the need for quick prosecution of terrorism, kidnapping, and banditry cases, arguing that swift justice and publicized convictions would serve as deterrents to would-be offenders.
Tackling Root Causes
The security consultant also challenged governments at all levels to tackle youth unemployment and poverty, particularly in conflict-prone regions, while also resolving farmer-herder disputes through land-use reforms and mediation mechanisms to bring insecurity to the barest minimum.
