Author: Khalid Mahmud

FOR years, Nigeria’s security architecture was like an orchestra without a conductor—each agency playing its own tune, each refusing to follow a shared path. The military, police, DSS, and paramilitary outfits operated in silos, hoarding intelligence and guarding jurisdiction like jealous gatekeepers. It was a house with too many doors and no master key. The result was confusion, inefficiency, and too often, bloodshed. Terrorists thrived in this vacuum, kidnappers exploited the disjointed response mechanisms, and communities bore the brunt of institutional dysfunction. The turning point came in 2023. The appointment of Mallam Nuhu Ribadu as National Security Adviser marked the…