Rabiu Omaku
Governor Abdullahi Sule of Nasarawa State has inaugurated the state’s Security Advisory Council, charging its members to move beyond conventional policing solutions and address the economic and social drivers of insecurity in the state.
Governor Sule inaugurated the committee at the Government House on Monday.
Speaking at the inauguration ceremony, the Governor said the security challenges confronting Nasarawa State today were increasingly complex and required a coordinated, intelligence-driven approach that goes beyond the deployment of personnel and equipment.
“Sustainable security requires justice, dialogue, responsible leadership, economic opportunity, community participation, and mutual trust between the citizens and the Government,” he said.
He added that the Council would combine enforcement with prevention, intelligence gathering and development.
Governor Sule noted that the proliferation of criminal activity across the state’s borders and communities was linked to gaps in information gathering and forest management, and charged the Council to work closely with traditional rulers, religious leaders, youth organisations and women groups who hold valuable knowledge of developments within their communities.
“Through sustained dialogue and engagement with traditional institutions, we can strengthen early warning mechanisms to improve information flow and promote peaceful resolution of disputes before they escalate into security challenges,” he said.
The Governor clarified that the Council was not established to duplicate or diminish the responsibilities of existing security agencies, but to complement their work through strategic coordination, analysis and policy advice.
He said the state would continue to work closely with the Nigerian Police, the Armed Forces, the Department of State Services and the Civil Defence Corps.
The Governor listed the Council’s terms of reference to include advising Government on the day-to-day security situation in the state, strengthening intelligence-driven security operations, examining frameworks for community policing, and bridging the gap between government and grassroots communities through continuous dialogue with traditional and community leaders.
He commended the appointees for accepting to serve and urged them to approach the assignment with seriousness, impartiality and confidentiality, while assuring that Government would continue to invest in preventive security measures and address the underlying drivers of insecurity across the state.
The Council is chaired by Major General Elias Abba (rtd), a former Force Commander of the Multinational Joint Task Force in N’Djamena, Chad, and includes retired senior officers of the Armed Forces, Police and Customs Service, among them AVM B.D. Solomon (rtd), DIG Mohammed Ali Ari Doma (rtd), Brigadier General Japo Abashi Ebu (rtd), Wing Commander Umar Ibrahim Mohammed Awe (rtd), Wing Commander Mukhtar Usman (rtd), CP Isa Usman Baba (rtd) and CSC Adamu Tanko Umar (rtd). Pharmacist Iliya Sunday, Permanent Secretary, Security and Sundry Matters, serves as Secretary.
In his remarks, the Secretary to the Government of Nasarawa State, Barrister Labaran Shuaibu Magaji, SAN, described the Council’s inauguration as a demonstration of the Governor’s resolve to leave no stone unturned in the pursuit of peace and development in the state, noting that the appointees were selected on the basis of their experience, integrity and understanding of security matters relevant to Nasarawa State.
Responding on behalf of the Council, its Chairman, Major General Abba, pledged the committee’s commitment to holistic security advice that addresses poverty, unemployment and social dislocation as drivers of crime, alongside its role ahead of the 2027 general elections.
“Political ambition must never outweigh the sanctity of human life or the stability of our communities,” Major General Abba said.
He assured of the Council’s full support to ensure that political activities in the state are conducted within the ambit of the law and that the elections are free, fair and peaceful.
