Ex‑Defence Spokesman, Olukolade Seeks Localized Security Model

By Abdul Lauya

The Chairman of the Centre for Crisis Communication (CCC) and former Director of Defence Information, Major General Chris Olukolade (rtd), has called for a shift from Nigeria’s centralised security architecture to a more community-driven model anchored on local intelligence and grassroots cooperation.

Speaking at the First Bi-Annual Community Security Engagement Training in Abuja, Olukolade said the surge in insecurity, including insurgency, banditry, cultism, and farmer-herder conflicts, highlights the urgent need for stronger synergy between security agencies and local communities.

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He stated that mass sensitisation, public security education, and an empowered citizenry are essential for improving intelligence gathering and early warning capabilities across the country.

The retired military spokesman recommended the development of a National Security Education Curriculum and proposed that the National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN) lead the initiative, citing its nationwide reach and robust academic structure.

The five-day workshop, which began on July 21 and runs until July 26, brought together traditional rulers, local government officials, security experts, and other stakeholders to explore community-based defence models.

The event is themed: “A Tripartite Synergy as a Legislative Advocacy Aimed at Providing Structural Framework to Put in Place Trained and Equipped Community First-Line of Defence (CONFILODS) to Save Our Communities.”

Also speaking at the event, Assistant Inspector-General of Police Victor Olaiya, who represented the Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, expressed the Nigeria Police Force’s commitment to enhancing community policing through grassroots collaboration.

The engagement signals renewed national interest in localised security strategies that place communities at the forefront of early response and threat prevention.