Chido Onumah, special adviser to the National Security Adviser on Strategic Communication and Civil Society Liaison, urged Nigeria to make election security plans answerable to residents through local reporting channels.
In an Oct. 20 commentary published by Premium Times, Onumah said residents need a clear way to alert officials to safety problems and learn how authorities respond. He said the test of federal and state cooperation is whether it improves safety in communities.
His comments followed a meeting of federal and state security administrators in Yola, Adamawa State. The News Agency of Nigeria reported that National Security Adviser Nuhu Ribadu called for faster intelligence sharing and vigilance against misinformation ahead of the 2027 elections. Asishana Okauru, an adviser to Ribadu, delivered his remarks at the Oct. 15 session.
At the same meeting, Adamawa Gov. Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri asked for federal help to monitor the state’s border with Cameroon, according to the News Agency of Nigeria. Deputy Gov. Kaletapwa Farauta delivered Fintiri’s remarks, seeking drones, surveillance equipment, joint patrols and the expedited establishment of one-stop border posts. Fintiri also requested funding for security agencies, citing smuggling and the movement of arms across the border.
The Special Services Office (SSO) lists coordination of Nigeria’s security policy and liaison with state authorities among its responsibilities. The office also lists state governments among the bodies it serves.
Onumah called on federal and state agencies to name officials responsible for each priority, set workable deadlines and check implementation regularly. He presented those steps as recommendations for following through on the Yola talks.
Separately, the State House said a presidential working group sent a draft National Policing Bill and 29 consequential amendment bills to the Federal Ministry of Justice on Oct. 19 for legislative drafting review and validation. The proposed bills would provide a legal foundation for federal and state police services.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has scheduled presidential and National Assembly elections for Jan. 16, 2027, and governorship and state assembly elections for Feb. 6, 2027.
