A retired Assistant Inspector-General of Police, Ade Ajakaiye, has urged President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to focus on strengthening the Nigeria Police Force rather than creating a new Homeland Security Office. President Tinubu had approved the appointment of Major General Adeyinka Fadadewa (Rtd) as Special Adviser on Homeland Security.
Unnecessary Expansion of Security Bureaucracy
Ajakaiye described the establishment of the office as unnecessary, warning that it could expand security bureaucracy without addressing fundamental problems facing existing institutions. In a statement titled “Creation of Homeland Security: Strengthening the Nigeria Police, Not Expanding Bureaucracy,” he argued that Nigeria already has several security agencies responsible for internal security and intelligence gathering.
These include the Nigeria Police Force, the Department of State Services (DSS), the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), the Armed Forces, and other paramilitary bodies. He maintained that the country’s major challenge is not the absence of security agencies but the weakness of existing institutions.
Underfunding and Poor Welfare of Police
“The Nigeria Police Force, which should serve as the backbone of internal security, has for decades suffered from under-funding, inadequate training, poor welfare, corruption and lack of modern equipment,” Ajakaiye stated. He noted that successive administrations have created new agencies instead of reforming and strengthening the police.
He warned that the Homeland Security Office could lead to duplication of duties and worsen inter-agency rivalry and operational conflicts already affecting Nigeria’s security architecture. “With all these agencies already in place, many Nigerians are asking what exactly the Homeland Security Office will do differently,” he said.
Call for Police Reform
The former AIG stressed that strengthening the police through better funding, recruitment, training, and technology would produce more meaningful results in tackling insecurity. He called for greater investment in intelligence gathering, forensic laboratories, digital crime tracking systems, and community policing initiatives.
According to him, poor welfare conditions, including inadequate salaries, housing, and healthcare, have negatively affected police performance and professionalism. He further argued that creating another office during economic hardship, rising inflation, and growing public debt could place additional financial burdens on the government.
Professionalism Over Proliferation
Ajakaiye said effective security management depends more on professionalism, coordination, and accountability than on the proliferation of agencies. He urged the Federal Government to prioritise comprehensive police reform capable of restoring public confidence and improving national security.
