The Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, Mohammed Buba Marwa (Rtd), has said a unified strategic approach is required to bring together security forces and civil society in the fight against insecurity in the country.
Marwa made this known during the opening ceremony of the Army War College interagency seminar on bridging intelligence gaps among security agencies for enhanced national security in Abuja.
According to him, improved interagency intelligence sharing will strengthen national security.
He stressed that Nigeria’s security challenges—including insurgency, banditry, drug trafficking, and violent cultism—are interconnected and cannot be effectively tackled by any single agency.
At the seminar, Marwa called for a “whole-of-society” approach involving security services, traditional and religious leaders, civil rights groups, educators, the media, and citizens, all contributing to a unified intelligence system.
He noted that existing partnerships between the NDLEA and organisations such as the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), and Interpol, as well as collaboration with neighbouring countries, provide a model for enhanced cooperation.
Marwa also advocated the establishment of joint analysis cells to ensure that intelligence from local communities is transmitted in real time to the military, police, and other security agencies.
He further called for regular interagency briefings, shared databases, and a unified command structure to close gaps exploited by criminal elements, while safeguarding human rights and public trust.
According to him, such coordinated efforts are essential to transforming intelligence into effective action and achieving lasting security in Nigeria.
