Today, as directed by President Muhammadu Buhari, I inaugurated the Committee to Study the Recommendations and Implementation Strategies on Strengthening Internal Security Framework and Community Policing in Nigeria; the Committee on Development of Internal Security Policy and Strategy and Policy and; and the Committee on Development of Strategic Intervention Plan.

The members of the Committee include;
Minister of Interior - Chairman
Minister of Police Affairs - Co-Chair
Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Interior - Member
Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Police Affairs - Member
Inspector General of Police
Controller General, Nigeria Correcrional Service
Comptroller General, Nigeria Immigration Service
Commandant General, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps
Comptroller General, Nigeria Customs Service
Chairman, NDLEA
Rep. of the Ministry of Interior
Rep. of the Ministry of Justice
Rep. of the Ministry of Communication and Digital Economy
Rep. Ministry of Science and Technology
Rep. ONSA
Reps. of Nigeria Army, Nigeria Airforce, Nigeria Navy
Rep. of DG DSS
Rep. of OSGF
Rep. of IPCR
Rep. of NIPSS
Rep. NigComSat and
Rep. of the Association of License Private Guards Companies of Nigeria.

The Committee inaugurated has Seven Sub-Committee and are listed as follows;

These seven sub-committees are;
1. The Committee to develop Internal Security Policy and Strategy with the Interior Minister as Chairman.

2. Committee to Develop Mechanism for effective Synergy and Coordination among Internal Security Agencies and adopt Community Policing as a National Strategy with the Police Affairs Minister as Chairman

3. Committee to Develop Comprehensive Monitoring and Evaluation Framework for Internal Security Operatives with the Permanent Secretary of Interior as Chairman

4. Committee on the Application of Appropriate Science, Technology and Innovation for Strengthening Internal Security, Management, including Forensic Satellite Imagery, Drones, CCTVs etc with the representative of the Federal Ministry of Science and Technology Innovation as Chairman,

5. Committee on the Establishment of Internal Security Trust Fund with Permanent Secretary Ministry of Police Affairs as Chairman.

6. Committee on the Appropriate Devolution of Control of Resources along the Chains of Command of Internal Security Agency with the Director General, National Drug Law & Enforcement Agency as Chairman

7. Committee to Innovate Funding Mechanism for upgrading Equipment Holdings of Internal Security Agencies and for providing Needed Equipment for Security Agencies with the Inspector General, Nigeria Police Force as Chairman.

Read my full speech from the event below;

OPENING REMARKS BY THE MINISTER OF INTERIOR, OGBENI RAUF AREGBESOLA, AT THE INAUGURATION OF THE COMMITTEE TO STUDY THE RECOMMENDATIONS AND IMPLEMENTATION STRATEGIES ON STRENGHENING INTERNAL SECURITY FRAMEWORK AND COMMUNITY POLICING IN NIGERIA AND COMMITTEE ON DEVELOPMENT OF INTERNAL SECURITY POLICY AND STRATEGY AND DEVELOPMENT OF STRATEGIC INTERVENTION PLAN HELD AT THE MINISTER’S CONFERENCE ROOM ON TUESDAY, 9TH NOVEMBER, 2021

Protocols,

A QUANTUM LEAP ON NATIONAL SECURITY

I am delighted to welcome you all to the inauguration of the committee to study the recommendations and implementation strategies on strengthening internal security framework and community policing in Nigeria; and the committee on development of internal security policy and strategy.

The journey to today’s event began with the Senior Executive Course (SEC) 40, 2018 of the National Institute for Policy and Strategies Studies (NIPSS), on Strengthening Internal Security Framework and Community Policing in Nigeria.

The Government then set up a Committee comprising relevant Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs), security agencies, the armed forces, as well as experts in the field to study the report.

Consequently, the Committee observed that the absence of a National Security Policy and Strategy document as well as a Monitoring and Evaluation Framework on Internal Security negatively affects the operations of the Internal Security Agencies in the country which necessitated the directive of Mr. President to approve the Inter-Ministerial Committee withall relevant stakeholders on Internal Security.

You may note that one of the nine priority areas of the Administration of President Muhammadu Buhari is to improve governance and provide security for all citizens. Therefore, it calls for all seriousness to provide the needed apparatus and security architecture to fight insecurity in the country.

The committees to be inaugurated are:
A. The committee to develop internal security policy and strategy; whose mandate includes:
i.​Develop an internal Security Policy and Strategy Policy and Strategy which will provide the needed impetus for the re-invigoration of Internal Security architecture to reposition Nigeria Police Force (NPF) as lead Agency in Internal Security operations;
ii.​Develop mechanisms for effective synergy and coordination among the Internal Security Agencies; and adopt Community Policing as a National Security Strategy; and
iii.​Develop Comprehensive Monitoring and Evaluation Framework for Internal Security operations;

B. The Committee to Develop Strategic Intervention Plan whose mandate include:
i.​Establishment of Internal Security Trust Fund (ISTF);
ii.​Appropriate devolution of the control of resources along the chains of command of Internal Security Agencies;
iii.​Innovative funding mechanism for upgrading equipment holdings of Internal Security Agencies and for providing needed equipment for Police Divisions; and
iv.​Application of appropriate Science, Technology and Innovation (STI) for strengthening Internal Security management, including, forensics, satellite imagery, drones, CCTVs among others.

I do not need to reiterate the seriousness of this assignment. Providing security for the lives and property of the citizens is the primary responsibility of government. This is a mission on which we cannot afford to fail.

Three things are clear and which are embedded in your mandate. The first is strategy. We need to have an effective strategy. There must be new thinking.

We cannot solve a problem with the same mindset that created it. Our strategy should be at least two steps ahead of the challenges. For instance, we can see that the security challenge at the correctional facilities are no longer internal insurrection by inmates but mass armed invasion from outside. A new strategy therefore must emerge to tackle this new challenge.There are general challenges that one solution will fit all. But there will be specific challenges requiring specific solutions based on geography and local peculiarities.

The second issue is galvanising resources – human, financial and technology – with which to address the challenges and implement policies. Though resources alone will not solve a problem but without it, all the strategies and plans will be on hold.

The third concern is community policing. The people are the primary agents in their own security. But they must be socialised and organised along that line. No strange person can come to a community and no strange act can happen in a community without the people themselves knowing about it.There is no where in the world where we have effective security that the people are not in the first line of defence. For instance, I still find it difficult how scores of school pupils can be put on the back of motorcycles and driven for more than 30 kilometres and no one would see them or be able to provide any useful information on their whereabout. Therefore, if people are organised for their own security, it makes the work of the security agencies easy.

We should therefore have clear headway on these issues, the success of which will greatly bring the much-desired peace, security and tranquillity to our land.

I congratulate you all for being chosen for this assignment. I have no doubt that you will surpass all expectations.

I hereby inaugurate the Committees and charge you all to regularly meet to produce the policy document towards achieving Mr. President’s mandate on internal security in the country.

I thank you all for your kind attention.

Good development.

But government should also invite input from all Nigerians as security is everyone business.

I have a concept on security, designed to limit the capability of criminals to commit crime. It leverage on the weakness of criminals. open to share idea with relevant stakeholder for the good on Nigeria.