Former Director of the Department of State Services, Mike Ejiofor, has urged the Federal Government to explore alternative sources of military hardware and strengthen international security partnerships to effectively tackle the country’s security challenges.
Ejiofor made the call on Monday during an interview on Frontline, a current affairs programme on Eagle 102.5 FM, Ilese-Ijebu, Ogun State, while reacting to concerns over Nigeria’s access to weapons amid ongoing global conflicts involving Russia, Ukraine, Iran, Israel and the United States.
According to him, despite disruptions in the global arms supply chain caused by the wars, Nigeria still has viable alternatives capable of meeting its defence requirements.
“The Minister of Defence made that allegation. Apparently, it is not long that the war started, so if there were orders placed, we have other options. We can go to Turkey, China and other areas that can help us,” he said.
The former DSS director also questioned the effectiveness of Nigeria’s existing security collaboration with the United States, noting that the impact of such partnerships has not been sufficiently visible in recent years.
“Don’t also forget that America has been partnering with us, but I don’t seem to be seeing the effectiveness of that collaboration. We’ve not had much on the activities,” he stated.
Ejiofor further expressed reservations over the creation of the Office of the Special Adviser on Homeland Security by President Bola Tinubu, warning that the new office could create overlap with the responsibilities of the National Security Adviser if their mandates are not clearly defined.
He said the initiative may have been inspired by the homeland security model in the United States but stressed the need for clear delineation of responsibilities.
“Until the jobs of the NSA and this new special adviser are clearly defined, there is bound to be conflict among the two offices,” he warned.
On the country’s fight against terrorism and banditry, Ejiofor maintained that insecurity could not be addressed through weapons alone, stressing the importance of intelligence gathering, operational capacity and strategic coordination among security agencies.
He argued that security forces should be equipped with the necessary skills and resources to decisively weaken criminal groups and compel them to surrender.
“The decisive thing to do is that we should acquire all the necessary skills to deal with these people and bring them to their knees. Let them surrender, but not asking them to come and surrender first,” he said.
The security expert also cautioned against negotiating with armed groups from a position of weakness, insisting that any engagement should be based on state authority and strategic advantage.
“When they surrender, what do you do with them? We should be negotiating from the point of power, not weakness. We should deal with these people and let them surrender and face the law,” he added.
Ejiofor further advised Nigerians to remain vigilant and conscious of their surroundings, particularly while travelling, due to the prevailing security situation across the country.
“The most important thing to know is that there’s too much insecurity in the country. Let us also be conscious of our environment, especially when you’re travelling, and know how to protect yourself from these bandits,” he said.
