Gaidam tasks security agencies on real-time intelligence sharing
Commandant, Army War College of Nigeria, Major General UM Alkali and Minister of Police Affairs, Senator Ibrahim Gaidam during an Inter-agency Security Seminar in Abuja
Orisemeke Benjamin
The Minister of Police Affairs, Senator Ibrahim Gaidam has reiterated the need to establish a seamless and secure mechanism for real-time intelligence sharing, enhancing capacity for proactive and pre-emptive responses to threats.
He stated this during an Inter-agency security seminar with a theme: Multiplicity of Operations in Nigeria’s Contemporary Security Landscape: Optimizing Multi-Agency Efforts for Effective Threat Response, organized by the Army War College Nigeria Course 9/2025 in Asokoro, Abuja.
The Minister, who was the Special Guest of Honour at the event pointed out that to optimize multi-agency efforts for effective threat response, they must tackle critical gaps in our security architecture.
He said, “Institutionalizing cross-agency training exercises and scenario-based drills will improve operational interoperability and foster mutual trust. By leveraging modern technologies—such as advanced surveillance systems, artificial intelligence, and digital forensics—we can enhance our operational effectiveness.”
Gaidam said the security environment in Nigeria has undergone a profound transformation. We face a complex web of threats, from insurgency and terrorism in the North-East to banditry and farmer-herder conflicts in the North-West and North-Central regions. Additionally, we grapple with separatist movements in the South-East and organized crime in the South-South and South-West.
The Minister opined that this multiplicity of threats necessitates a comprehensive approach that engages the entire government and society. “These challenges are compounded by economic disparities, governance deficits, and the increasing sophistication of criminal enterprises that exploit technology, porous borders, and ungoverned spaces”. He stressed.
“The traditional view of security—limited to military or law enforcement responses—is no longer adequate. We must embrace an integrated approach that brings together all stakeholders, including military forces, law enforcement agencies, intelligence services and civil society,” he added.
The Minister expressed that the multi-agency collaboration is not merely an option; it is a necessity. “Effective security management today requires a robust interagency coordination framework.
“The complexity of contemporary threats demands that the Nigeria Police Force strengthen operational synergies with other agencies, including the Nigerian Army, Nigerian Navy, Nigerian Air Force, Department of State Services (DSS), Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS), and Nigerian Customs Service (NCS),” he explained.
He stressed the role of the civilian population as a vital asset in security management, saying that strengthening police-community relations and fostering public trust through community policing initiatives will significantly improve our intelligence-gathering capabilities and preventive security measures.
Earlier, the Guest lecturer, Major General Babagana Mohammed Monguno (Rtd) stated that globally military operations play a significant role in restoring peace and stability, noting that nations implement security strategies to minimize the security threats to their economic and diplomatic relations.
“With the Nigerian military operations currently being conducted across all geopolitical zones despite the success recorded by the ongoing operations, security threats continue to persist across the country, disrupting daily livelihood and instilling fear among the citizens and there is the need for a comprehensive approach to mitigate contemporary security threats across Nigeria,” he said.
