SECURITY CHIEFS MEET IN ABUJA AS GOVERNMENT ROLLS OUT SURVEILLANCE AIRCRAFT AND COMMUNITY POLICING PLANS

SECURITY CHIEFS MEET IN ABUJA AS GOVERNMENT ROLLS OUT SURVEILLANCE AIRCRAFT AND COMMUNITY POLICING PLANS

While economic officials were talking about money in Abuja, Nigeria’s security leadership was meeting 10 minutes away to talk about safety.

 The National Security Adviser convened an emergency session with service chiefs, 12 state governors, the IGP, and representatives of traditional rulers.

The timing was not accidental. Forty-eight hours earlier, President Bola Tinubu ordered a manhunt after an attack in Kaduna where 30 people were reported killed and houses were burnt.

In Plateau, troops had just foiled a reprisal attack. Across the Northwest, banditry and kidnapping continue to strain communities.

The message from the meeting: security is now being treated as an economic issue, not just a military one.

Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde opened the presentation with two new surveillance aircraft procured by the state government.

 The aircraft are equipped with infrared cameras and real-time video feed. They will monitor forests, highways, and border areas in the Southwest.

Makinde said the aircraft had already been used to track suspicious movement in 3 local governments in the last month. “We can see a camp from 10,000 feet and send coordinates to ground troops in minutes,” he said.

The NSA announced that the Federal Government will replicate the model in 4 other zones: Northwest, North Central, Northeast, and Southeast. Each zone will get 2 aircraft, with a central command center in Abuja.

“Technology must complement boots on the ground,” the NSA said. “We cannot police every forest with soldiers, but we can watch them.”

The aircraft will also be used to monitor flooding, herder movements, and illegal mining — issues that often trigger conflict.

The Inspector General of Police announced the largest community policing recruitment in recent years: 10,000 new officers before December 2026.

The idea is simple. Officers will be recruited from their own communities, must speak the local language, and will work with vigilantes, hunters, and traditional rulers.

 They will not carry heavy weapons but will have radios linked to the nearest police station.

The Pilot states are: Kaduna, Plateau, Benue, Niger, and Zamfara. These states have seen the most attacks on farms and villages.

The IGP said training will include conflict resolution, human rights, and intelligence gathering. “A policeman from Lagos cannot solve a problem in a village in Katsina if he does not understand the dynamics,” he said.

Governors were asked to provide accommodation and support for the officers. Traditional rulers were asked to nominate credible candidates.

PLATEAU AND KADUNA: BREAKING THE CYCLE

In Plateau, military officials confirmed they foiled a reprisal attack on a Fulani settlement and arrested two suspects.

 The commander said the goal is to break the cycle of attack and counter-attack that has displaced thousands and destroyed farmland.

To do that, the government is opening a humanitarian corridor to allow farmers to return to their fields before harvest. Soldiers will escort convoys and patrol major roads.

In Kaduna, the manhunt ordered by the President is ongoing. The NSA said intelligence sharing between states has improved and that several suspects have been identified.

The meeting also addressed attacks on schools and markets. A new directive requires every school with more than 200 pupils to have a security plan and a direct line to the nearest police station.

THE ECONOMIC LINK

Security chiefs acknowledged what was discussed at the CBN forum: without safety, there is no investment.

The Minister of Finance said part of the N500 billion SME fund will be ring-fenced for businesses in conflict-affected areas. Unlike loans, these will be grants to help people restart farms and shops.

The NSA added that banditry is partly driven by economic desperation. The community policing plan includes a component for youth engagement and skills training.

CITIZENS SHOULD EXPECT THE FOLLOWING DEVELOPMENTS IN THE NEXT 90 DAYS: 

More aerial patrols: You will see aircraft over forests and major highways, especially at night.

New faces in uniform: 10,000 community policing officers in markets and villages by September.

Faster response: A new integrated emergency number will connect police, NSCDC, and state security.

Early warning committees: Traditional rulers in every ward will set up committees to report suspicious movement.

Support for farmers: Escorted farming in Plateau and parts of Kaduna to ensure food production.

Civil society groups at the meeting asked for oversight to ensure community policing officers are not used for political purposes. The IGP promised a complaint hotline.

The meeting ended with a resolution: security agencies will meet every two weeks and publish a public update on attacks, arrests, and interventions.

For many Nigerians, the test will be on the farm, on the road, and in the market. Can they plant without fear? Can they travel without being stopped? The government says the new approach is the answer