By Ejire Folakunmi
The Chairman of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Retired Brig.-Gen. Buba Marwa, has called for bridging fundamental gaps in intelligence sharing as a critical step in addressing Nigeria’s security challenges.
Marwa made the call at the Army War College Nigeria (AWCN) Course 10/2026 Interagency Seminar on Thursday in Abuja. He noted that the country faces a complex security landscape marked by insurgency in the North East, farmer-herder conflicts in the North West and North Central, secessionist agitations in the South East, and organized crimes in the South South and South West.
He emphasized the need for a “whole-of-government” and “whole-of-society” approach, noting that criminals are increasingly sophisticated, exploiting technology and transnational networks. Marwa highlighted the link between drug trafficking and the funding of other security threats, stressing that tackling these issues requires integrated collaboration across the armed forces, law enforcement, and intelligence agencies.
“The notion of security as purely a military or law enforcement concern is no longer sufficient. There must be stronger operational synergy among the Nigeria Police Force, the Department of State Security Services, NDLEA, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, Nigeria Immigration Service, and Nigeria Customs Service,” he said.
In his lecture, “Bridging Intelligence Gaps Among Security Agencies for Enhanced National Security,” former Chief of Defence Intelligence, Retired Maj.-Gen. Samuel Adebayo, warned that intelligence gaps remain a critical vulnerability. He explained that these gaps often result in delayed warnings and fragmented situational awareness.
Adebayo urged for enhanced unity of effort, noting that effective intelligence integration allows agencies to anticipate threats and disrupt hostile activities. Earlier, the Commandant of AWCN, Maj.-Gen. Umar Alkali, welcomed the seminar’s participants, which include 100 officers from the Nigerian Army, Navy, Air Force, and allied forces from 10 African countries, alongside 43 participants from the Nigeria Police, NDLEA, and DSS.