Follow Us on Google
By Christy Anyanwu
A security expert, Victoria Ekhomu has raised fresh concerns about the worsening insecurity across the country, warning that Nigeria cannot achieve meaningful development while citizens continue to live under fear of violence, kidnapping and terrorism.
Ekhomu, who is the Managing Director of Transworld Security and President of the Association of Industrial Security and Safety Operators of Nigeria (AISSON), made the remarks in a Democracy Day reflection, where she assessed the state of national security and the efforts of the current administration in combating crime and instability.
According to her, security remains the foundation of every stable society, noting that economic growth, foreign investment, healthcare delivery, education and national unity cannot thrive in an atmosphere of fear and uncertainty.
Drawing from decades of experience in the security industry, she stated that Nigeria’s security challenges have evolved from isolated criminal activities into a more dangerous network of terrorism, kidnapping, banditry, cybercrime, pipeline vandalism, cultism and transnational organised crime.
She acknowledged that the present administration inherited a fragile security structure marked by overstretched security agencies, weak intelligence coordination, porous borders, unemployment and distrust between citizens and government institutions.
The security consultant, however, admitted that the government has made some progress in recent years.
Among the gains she identified were the acquisition of military hardware and surveillance equipment, renewed offensives against insurgents and armed groups, improved intelligence-driven operations and increased collaboration among security agencies.
She also cited stronger engagement with regional and international security partners, as well as improved awareness of cybersecurity and critical infrastructure protection.
Despite these interventions, she maintained that many Nigerians still experience insecurity daily.
She lamented the continued wave of kidnappings on highways and within communities, the displacement of rural residents by armed bandits and the inability of many farmers to safely access their farmlands in parts of the country.
According to her, businesses now spend huge amounts on private security and risk management because of the growing threats to lives and property.
She attributed the persistent insecurity to several factors, including poverty, unemployment, corruption, weak governance structures, poor border control, proliferation of illegal arms, inadequate policing capacity, and slow judicial processes.
Other News
She added that poor intelligence sharing, ethno-religious tensions and political manipulation have further complicated the nation’s security crisis.
“Insecurity thrives where governance is weak and where citizens feel abandoned,” she stated.
To tackle the problem effectively, she called for a shift from reactive security measures to preventive and intelligence-based strategies.
She urged the government to invest heavily in intelligence gathering, data analytics, predictive policing, technology-enabled surveillance and artificial intelligence-assisted threat monitoring.
According to her, security agencies must work together more effectively and eliminate operational rivalry that weakens national security efforts.
On policing, she said Nigeria remains under-policed considering its growing population and increasing security threats.
She therefore advocated the recruitment of more police personnel, improved welfare and equipment for officers, decentralized policing structures, and stronger collaboration between public and private security operators.
She also stressed the importance of community policing, saying traditional rulers, local leaders, and residents should be fully involved in protecting their communities.
She further called for tighter border security through the deployment of drones, biometric systems, and smart surveillance technology to curb arms trafficking and illegal migration.
The security expert linked unemployment among youths to rising criminal activities and urged the government to prioritize vocational training, entrepreneurship support, and digital economy opportunities.
She also advocated the deployment of modern security technologies such as CCTV surveillance systems, facial recognition tools, cyber intelligence platforms, and national criminal databases.
She submitted that Nigeria has the human and institutional capacity to become one of Africa’s safest nations if leaders demonstrate political will, accountability and commitment to long-term reforms.
According to her, democracy must deliver not only freedom and good governance, but also safety, peace and hope for all Nigerians.
