KEY POINTS
- SGF George Akume has set up an inter-ministerial committee to review and streamline Nigeria’s security and paramilitary agencies.
- The panel will recommend mergers, reforms or dissolution of redundant agencies and crack down on quasi-security outfits.
- Members include the Nigeria Police Force, DSS, ONSA and the ministries of defense, interior and police affairs.
George Akume, the secretary to the government of the federation, has decided to take a hard look at Nigeria’s tangled security architecture. On Wednesday, he inaugurated an inter-ministerial committee in Abuja with the power to recommend mergers, reforms or even outright dissolution of agencies that no longer pull their weight.
The Federal Government, through Akume, set up the panel to confront a problem that has quietly grown out of control: the proliferation of federal, state and quasi-government security outfits operating across the country. Now, the SGF wants a single, coordinated security framework instead of the current patchwork.
Permanent Secretary at the General Services Office, Ibrahim Abubakar Kana, represented Akume at the inauguration. He said the move reflects the government’s commitment to curbing unaccredited quasi-security organizations while pushing accountability and operational efficiency among agencies that protect lives and property.
Why now
Akume said the rising number of security and auxiliary bodies has created duplication of roles, jurisdictional overlaps and operational inefficiencies. Specifically, the SGF noted that these problems make a comprehensive review unavoidable. His head of information and public relations, Chris Ugwuegbulam, conveyed the message in an official statement.
He explained that the committee’s report will provide a framework to guide government decisions on streamlining the operations of auxiliary and paramilitary agencies.
What the panel will tackle as regards Nigeria security reform
According to Akume, the panel must compile a comprehensive inventory of all security and paramilitary outfits at federal, state and quasi-government levels. Additionally, it will examine their legal and operational mandates and identify areas of overlap or conflict.
Furthermore, the committee will assess the relevance and effectiveness of emerging security outfits, review coordination mechanisms among agencies, and propose reforms to enhance accountability while reducing redundancies.
“The committee will undertake a thorough review of existing frameworks, identify gaps and recommend measures to ensure a more coherent and effective security system,” Akume said.
Beyond housekeeping, Akume said the panel will align the operations of security agencies with national priorities and international best practices. Moreover, it will recommend appropriate policy, legal and institutional measures for reform, including options for mergers, harmonization, reclassification or dissolution of agencies where necessary.
Who is at the table
Akume chairs the committee, which draws its members from key security and government institutions. The list covers the Nigeria Police Force, Department of State Services, Ministry of Defence, Ministry of Police Affairs, Ministry of Interior, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps and the Office of the National Security Adviser.
The list does not include the military service chiefs, although the Ministry of Defence seat carries that mandate. Similarly, the inclusion of the Ministry of Interior signals that paramilitary outfits like the Federal Fire Service, Immigration Service and Correctional Service will fall under review.
Meanwhile, the panel must submit a comprehensive report with actionable recommendations to the Federal Government within an approved timeframe. The clock is ticking. With the lineup in place and marching orders clear, the real test will be whether the recommendations translate into actual mergers and shutdowns, or end up sitting on a shelf alongside earlier reform reports.
