Nigerians should be able to live, work, travel and build their livelihoods without fear.
But security cannot depend only on responding after lives have been lost or communities attacked. A functioning security system must be able to gather intelligence, coordinate effectively, respond quickly and learn from every incident.
Resetting security means building a system that is intelligence-led, responsive and accountable.
We will focus on three things.
The best security response is the incident that is prevented.
We will strengthen intelligence gathering and information sharing so that threats can be identified earlier and the appropriate security agencies can act before they escalate.
This must include stronger links between communities, security agencies and government. Local information matters, but it becomes useful only when there is a system capable of receiving it, assessing it and acting on it.
Nigeria has multiple security and emergency institutions, but having many agencies does not automatically produce an effective security system.
When an incident occurs, responsibility must be clear. Agencies must be able to communicate with one another, information must reach the right people quickly, and the appropriate response must be mobilised without unnecessary delay.
We will strengthen coordination, interoperable communication and response systems so that Nigerians can get help when they need it.
Every major security incident should leave the system better prepared for the next threat.
We will strengthen processes for reviewing serious incidents, identifying what failed, establishing responsibility and ensuring that lessons lead to operational improvements.
Security institutions must be accountable not only for responding to threats, but for continually improving how they protect Nigerians.
In Oyo State, the Makinde administration developed a security architecture that combines the 615 toll-free emergency line, a central control room, CCTV infrastructure and coordination among security agencies.
The purpose is to create a system through which information can be received, assessed and passed to the appropriate responders rather than leaving citizens to determine which agency to contact during an emergency.
The Reset Agenda will build on lessons from this approach while addressing the much larger coordination, intelligence and operational challenges involved in securing Nigeria.
