By Friday Idachaba, Lokoja
A human rights activist and Executive Director of Conscience for Human Rights and Conflict Resolution (CHRCR), Mr Idris Miliki Abdul, has called for a comprehensive overhaul of Nigeria’s security strategy, urging authorities to adopt a community-driven intelligence system to tackle rising insecurity across the country.
In a statement issued on Friday in Lokoja, Abdul expressed concern over what he described as the worsening security situation nationwide, warning that emerging threats require more adaptive and proactive responses beyond conventional policing and military operations.
He argued that strengthening community participation in intelligence gathering remains one of the most effective ways to prevent crime and improve public safety, noting that residents are often the first to observe suspicious movements and activities within their environments.
According to him, timely sharing of such intelligence with security agencies could significantly enhance rapid response capabilities and reduce the frequency of avoidable attacks.
Abdul also called on state governments to take a more active role in supporting the security architecture within their jurisdictions, stressing that security management should not be left solely in the hands of federal authorities.
He proposed the establishment of structured security committees in every village and local government area, comprising serving and retired security personnel, alongside respected community leaders, to coordinate intelligence gathering and local security responses.
Such structures, he said, would improve collaboration between communities and security agencies, ensure faster information flow, and strengthen early warning systems against potential threats.
The activist further emphasized the importance of inter-community cooperation, noting that criminal activities often span across multiple localities, making isolated responses ineffective.
He also advocated the recruitment and strengthening of local vigilante groups to complement the efforts of formal security agencies in safeguarding lives and property.
Abdul added that modern technology must be fully integrated into security operations, particularly for surveillance, intelligence collection, and real-time communication, describing it as essential to addressing contemporary security challenges.
He expressed optimism that a combination of community resilience, improved intelligence sharing, stronger local participation, and technology-driven systems would significantly enhance national security and reduce the incidence of violent crime across the country.