A former Assistant Director of the Department of State Services (DSS), Dennis Amachree, has attributed the escalation of insecurity during the administration of former President Muhammadu Buhari to a combination of weak intelligence coordination, inadequate security infrastructure and the evolving tactics of armed criminal groups.
Speaking on the state of Nigeria’s security, Amachree said the Buhari administration inherited significant security challenges, particularly the Boko Haram insurgency, but faced increasing difficulties as terrorism, banditry, kidnapping for ransom and communal violence spread into different parts of the country. He argued that the changing nature of these threats often outpaced the country’s security response.
According to the former DSS official, intelligence gathering alone is insufficient unless security agencies act swiftly on credible information. He stressed the need for stronger collaboration among the military, police, intelligence services and local communities, noting that delays in responding to intelligence reports frequently allow criminal groups to escape or regroup.
Amachree also emphasised the importance of investing in modern surveillance technology, border security, intelligence analysis and community policing. He argued that Nigeria’s security architecture must evolve continuously to respond to increasingly sophisticated criminal networks operating across the country.
While Amachree focused on operational shortcomings, many analysts also argue that Nigeria’s security crisis cannot be explained solely by intelligence or military factors. They point to persistent poverty, unemployment, corruption, weak institutions, poor governance and longstanding social inequalities as underlying conditions that have fuelled recruitment into armed groups and prolonged insecurity. Addressing these structural challenges, alongside strengthening security institutions, is widely regarded as essential to achieving lasting peace.
The discussion comes as Nigeria continues to confront terrorism, armed banditry, kidnapping and communal violence, with renewed calls for comprehensive security sector reforms and policies that combine effective law enforcement with social and economic development.
