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Nigeria’s security challenges have once again taken centre stage as policymakers, security chiefs, civil society leaders and citizens converged in Abuja for the grand finale of the Campaign Against Killing of Security Personnel. Far from being a routine conference, the gathering at the National Merit House exposed the gravity of a national crisis that strikes at the very heart of state authority: the persistent and rising attacks on men and women charged with protecting the country.

The high-level National Security Summit and Security Dialogue, themed “Protecting the Protectors: A National Imperative for Peace, Unity, and Sustainable Security,” marked the culmination of a nationwide advocacy campaign that had earlier resonated strongly in Lagos and Ogun States before arriving in the Federal Capital Territory. Its message was unmistakable: a nation that fails to safeguard its security personnel risks surrendering its sovereignty to criminality, lawlessness and fear.

Opening the summit, the Convener of the campaign, Ambassador Oluwayomi Oluwapelumi, painted a sobering picture of the implications of unchecked violence against security operatives. She warned that the targeted killing of officers does more than deplete manpower; it erodes morale, weakens institutional authority and emboldens criminal networks that thrive on chaos.

According to her, the campaign was born out of a growing concern that Nigerians were becoming dangerously accustomed to news of fallen officers, a normalization that threatens national stability.

“When security personnel are targeted and killed, it weakens national security and emboldens criminal elements,” she said. “Protecting our protectors is not optional; it is a national responsibility that requires the cooperation of government, communities and citizens.”

Her words set the tone for a dialogue that repeatedly returned to one core truth: Nigeria’s security crisis cannot be solved by arms and uniforms alone. Trust, collaboration and shared responsibility are equally decisive.

The summit drew an imposing array of dignitaries representing the country’s security and governance ecosystem. Among them were Air Commodore Friday Bassey of the Nigerian Air Force, Mrs Aisha Immam of the Air Force Officers’ Wives Association, CSP Benjamin Hundeyin representing the Nigeria Police Force, Alhaji Olaniyan Ibrahim of the Police Community Relations Committee, and Rear Admiral Bankole, who represented the Minister of Defence. Officials from the National Orientation Agency, Nigeria Customs Service, Nigeria Forest Security Service, and private security and logistics firms were also in attendance, underscoring the multi-layered nature of Nigeria’s security architecture.

Yet, it was the keynote address by the Commander of the Mining Marshals, Assistant Commandant of Corps Attah John Onoja, that crystallised the summit’s urgency and moral force. Speaking not just as an official but as a frontline commander, Onoja described the campaign as “a solemn call to conscience, unity, and decisive action,” stressing that the killing of security operatives represents a direct assault on the Nigerian state itself.

“Across our nation,” he said, “men and women in uniform wake up each day prepared to defend lives, protect national assets, and uphold the sovereignty of the Federal Republic of Nigeria—often at great personal risk. These attacks are not just assaults on individuals; they are direct assaults on law and order and on our collective right to peace and stability.”

Drawing from his experience leading the Mining Marshals, a specialised force tasked with securing Nigeria’s solid minerals sector, Onoja highlighted how insecurity feeds on weakened authority. Illegal mining, banditry, terrorism, arms proliferation and organised crime, he noted, are interconnected threats that flourish when security operatives are deliberately targeted and eliminated.

His declaration was emphatic and resonated throughout the hall: an attack on a security operative is an attack on Nigeria itself.

Beyond the rhetoric, Onoja humanised the cost of insecurity, reminding participants that officers are not faceless agents of the state but fathers, mothers, sons and daughters who choose service over safety. “When they fall,” he said, “the nation bleeds.” This human dimension reframed the security debate from statistics to shared national loss.

A recurring theme throughout the summit was intelligence. Speakers repeatedly stressed that no amount of weaponry or personnel can compensate for failed intelligence systems. Onoja warned that taking intelligence gathering for granted is a fatal mistake, noting that criminals gain the upper hand when communities withdraw cooperation or when misinformation erodes trust between civilians and security agencies.

In this context, the role of communities emerged as pivotal. The Mining Marshals commander emphasised that local communities are the first line of intelligence and the strongest allies of security agencies. Where cooperation thrives, criminals lose their hiding places; where distrust festers, violence gains oxygen. This position was echoed by other speakers who called for strengthened community policing, improved intelligence sharing and sustained public enlightenment.

Representing the National Orientation Agency, Mrs Margaret Yenami reaffirmed the agency’s commitment to civic education, arguing that changing public perception and attitudes toward security personnel is essential to reversing hostility and suspicion. According to her, misinformation, distrust, economic desperation and radicalisation are deeper societal issues that must be addressed alongside enforcement if Nigeria is to achieve lasting security.

The youth demographic received particular attention. Onoja directly appealed to young Nigerians, urging them to reject manipulation by criminal elements and to see security operatives not as enemies but as shields. Traditional rulers and community leaders were also challenged to use their moral authority to calm tensions, counter extremist narratives and promote peaceful coexistence.

Importantly, the dialogue did not shy away from self-reflection within the security services. Onoja urged officers across all agencies to remain professional, disciplined and guided by the rule of law, even under provocation, stressing that public trust remains the most powerful weapon in the fight against insecurity.

As discussions drew to a close, the summit issued a communiqué calling on federal and state governments to strengthen legal frameworks protecting security personnel, improve welfare and insurance schemes, intensify community engagement and institutionalise continuous national dialogue on security. These recommendations underscored a consensus that security is not a one-off campaign but an ongoing national project.

The Abuja grand finale did more than conclude the second edition of the Campaign Against Killing of Security Personnel; it reinforced a unified national resolve at a time when Nigeria’s security challenges remain complex and evolving. From insurgency and banditry to illegal mining and organised crime, the threats are multifaceted, but the summit’s message was clear: protecting those who protect the nation is the foundation upon which peace, unity and sustainable development must rest.

In the words of ACC Attah John Onoja, “The safety of security operatives is non-negotiable. A nation that fails to protect its protectors risks descending into chaos.” As Nigeria grapples with its security future, the campaign’s clarion call stands as both a warning and a roadmap—one that places unity, intelligence, community trust and respect for those in uniform at the centre of national survival.

StreetReporters.ng

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