RIBADU AND THE CHANGING SECURITY LANDSCAPE
Security challenges are best confronted through collaboration, writes SAMINU DAUDA
Security is rarely won through force alone. Across the world, successful counterterrorism strategies are built on collaboration, intelligence, institutional coordination and community participation. In Nigeria, where insecurity has evolved into a complex web of terrorism, banditry, kidnapping and rural criminality, the days of isolated security operations have given way to integrated approaches involving the federal government, state governments, intelligence agencies, traditional institutions and local communities. Perhaps nowhere is this new security architecture more visible than in Kaduna State.
The recent commendation by the National Security Adviser (NSA), Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, of the partnership between the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) and the Kaduna State Government offers an important insight into why Kaduna has recorded measurable improvements in security over the last two years. It also underscores Ribadu’s leadership philosophy: security challenges are best confronted through coordinated action rather than institutional competition.
Represented by the Director of Internal Security at ONSA, Malam Sani Sani, the NSA declared during the graduation ceremony of Kaduna’s pioneer batch of Armed Forest Guards that the collaboration between the federal government and Governor Uba Sani’s administration was producing tangible results in tackling insecurity.
It is a recognition that one of Nigeria’s most difficult theatres of insecurity is gradually reclaiming stability through a partnership anchored on intelligence, strategic planning and operational synergy.
Since assuming office as National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu has consistently demonstrated that national security cannot be managed from Abuja alone. Every state faces unique security challenges. The forests of Kaduna differ from the creeks of the Niger Delta. The border communities of Sokoto present different operational realities from those of Borno or Plateau.
Consequently, effective security management requires strong collaboration between federal institutions and state governments. Rather than centralising every initiative, Ribadu’s office has increasingly encouraged states to become active stakeholders in building resilient local security structures. The Armed Forest Guard initiative represents one of the clearest examples of this philosophy.
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s approval of the Armed Forest Guard initiative in May 2025 marked a significant shift in Nigeria’s internal security strategy. Recognising that forests had increasingly become operational bases for terrorists, kidnappers and bandits, the federal government introduced a programme designed to reclaim these ungoverned spaces.
The responsibility for providing strategic leadership and coordinating training nationwide was assigned to the Office of the National Security Adviser. That responsibility has been discharged with remarkable coordination.
Rather than adopting a one-size-fits-all approach, ONSA has worked closely with individual states to implement the programme according to local realities. Kaduna has emerged as one of the leading beneficiaries of this collaborative model.
Perhaps the strongest endorsement of Uba Sani’s security efforts came from the NSA’s revelation that, following nationwide evaluation, Kaduna currently operates the best Forest Guard training programme in Nigeria. Such recognition is not casually bestowed. It reflects rigorous assessment of training standards, operational readiness, discipline and overall programme quality.
According to the NSA, the over 1,000 Forest Guards underwent comprehensive instruction covering weapons handling, physical fitness, combat readiness, civil-military cooperation, community relations, observance of the rule of law and coordination with conventional security agencies.
They are structured community-based first responders trained to operate within clearly defined legal and operational frameworks. The emphasis on the rule of law is particularly significant. Modern security operations require professionalism as much as firepower. Community confidence depends upon disciplined conduct. The Kaduna model appreciates this balance.
One distinguishing characteristic of Ribadu’s tenure as NSA has been the increasing emphasis on intelligence-led security operations. The Forest Guard initiative complements this philosophy.
Being indigenous to their respective communities, Forest Guards possess local knowledge that conventional security agencies may not immediately have. They understand local terrain.
They recognise unusual movements. They identify unfamiliar faces. They detect early warning signs before security threats escalate. By positioning trained community personnel as the first layer of resilience, the initiative strengthens intelligence gathering while improving rapid response capabilities.
This integration of community intelligence with federal security architecture represents one of the programme’s greatest strengths. Governor Uba Sani has repeatedly maintained that security remains the foundation upon which every other development agenda depends. Without peace, investment suffers. Agriculture declines. Education is disrupted. Healthcare delivery becomes difficult. Economic activity contracts.
One remarkable aspect of the Kaduna experience is the absence of institutional rivalry.
Instead of competing for public recognition, the federal government and Kaduna State government have maintained complementary roles.
The Office of the National Security Adviser provides strategic leadership, training coordination and operational guidance. Kaduna state government provides political commitment, logistics, local coordination and sustained support.
This model demonstrates what becomes possible when governments at different levels pursue shared objectives rather than partisan interests. Security should never become a political contest. It is a constitutional responsibility requiring collective effort.
Governor Sani’s request for an additional 1,000 Forest Guards illustrates growing confidence in the programme’s effectiveness. Equally encouraging was the NSA’s assurance that ONSA would have no hesitation supporting further training requests from Kaduna. Such confidence reflects mutual trust developed through successful implementation.
It also suggests that Kaduna’s experience may serve as a model for other states seeking to strengthen local security structures.
The broader implication extends beyond one state. Nigeria’s security challenges require adaptable solutions capable of addressing diverse local realities. The Kaduna model demonstrates that federal leadership combined with state ownership can produce measurable improvements.
Rather than relying exclusively on conventional security deployments, integrating trained community-based personnel into broader security architecture enhances resilience without undermining professional security institutions.
Other states confronting similar challenges may find valuable lessons in this collaborative framework.
As National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu inherited one of the most complex security environments in Nigeria’s democratic history. His response has increasingly reflected strategic coordination rather than isolated operations.
By strengthening intelligence networks, improving inter-agency collaboration, supporting state-level initiatives and promoting community resilience, ONSA has expanded the scope of Nigeria’s national security architecture. The Kaduna experience offers practical evidence of this approach
Dauda writes from Abuja