From:Femi Oyelola in Kaduna
Directors of the Department of State Services (DSS) from North-West states have gathered in Kaduna to assess security threats and devise new strategies to enhance collaboration against banditry, terrorism, and other emerging challenges in the region.
The conference, which also included representatives from the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Niger, and Plateau States, provided a platform to harmonize intelligence operations and strengthen joint response mechanisms across state lines.
Kaduna State Governor, Senator Uba Sani, who was represented at the opening of the conference by the Commissioner for Internal Security and Home Affairs, Sule Shuaibu (SAN), emphasized that intelligence-led collaboration is the most effective tool for countering security threats in the North-West and beyond. He described the DSS as “the invisible backbone of Nigeria’s internal stability,” noting the agency’s vital role in safeguarding democracy and preempting threats across the nation. “This conference offers an opportunity for reflection, coordination, and strategic renewal,” he said.
Governor Sani stated that Kaduna has consistently prioritized intelligence-driven approaches, working closely with the DSS and other security agencies to detect and disrupt threats ranging from violent extremism and sabotage to misinformation.
He emphasized that modern security management necessitates more than traditional intelligence gathering, advocating for increased investment in analytical capacity, inter-agency trust, and technology-driven intelligence systems.
The governor also urged security leaders to adopt non-kinetic methods of peacebuilding, such as community engagement, preventive diplomacy, and counter-narrative strategies. “Peace must be pursued through justice, development, and inclusion,” he added.
The Emir of Zazzau, Ambassador Ahmed Nuhu Bamalli, who attended the event, praised the DSS for maintaining close cooperation with traditional institutions in addressing community-level disputes and security threats. He revealed that, through alternative dispute resolution mechanisms supported by the DSS, the Zazzau Emirate has successfully decongested its courts by over 2,000 cases in two years. The monarch also commended the agency’s vetting of district and village heads, stating that this process has helped identify and remove unsuitable traditional officials. “It’s better to remove them from the beginning than to allow them to exploit their people,” he said.
Major General Mohammed Wase, the General Officer Commanding, 1 Division Nigerian Army, represented at the event by the 1 Division Garrison Commander, Brigadier General Mohammed Kana, noted that the Army has significantly defeated bandits and terrorists in the region, thanks to consistent actionable intelligence from the DSS.
In his welcome address, Kaduna State Director of the DSS, Mr. Hakeem Abiola, mentioned that the zonal meeting was convened to review operational challenges and improve synergy among security formations across the North-West zone. Abiola highlighted the DSS’s successful implementation of various kinetic and non-kinetic operations under the leadership of the Director-General, Mr. Oluwatosin Adeola Ajayi, including community-based peace initiatives that “win the hearts and minds” of citizens.
He emphasized that collaboration with traditional rulers, religious leaders, and civil society is essential for maintaining peace in Kaduna. “Through regular engagements with JNI, CAN, and community leaders, we’ve been able to resolve sensitive disputes before they escalate,” he said.
The DSS Director also credited the Kaduna Peace Model, a community-led framework established by the state government, with reducing kidnapping and banditry along the Kaduna–Abuja, Kaduna–Kachia, and Birnin Gwari highways. He revealed that, in collaboration with other agencies, the service has intercepted arms shipments, rescued kidnapping victims, and thwarted terror plots across the region over the past year, many of which were carried out discreetly.
Abiola concluded by advocating for the establishment of a regional security forum involving security chiefs, traditional rulers, and political leaders to tackle cross-border crimes and terrorism, emphasizing that “as threats evolve, our capacity and tools must evolve too.”
