Security expert, and a former Director in the Department of State Services, (DSS), Mike Ejiofor, has urged the Nigerian government to review its security operations following the reported drawdown of United States troops supporting counterterrorism efforts, warning that terrorist groups could exploit the reduced military presence to intensify attacks.
He said this while speaking in an interview with ARISE NEWS on Monday.
“With the withdrawal, I think there has to be a review of their operations.
“My problem is that just like they came in, the media came out to report that they came. It shouldn’t have been made official or formal that they are withdrawing part of it, even though at the end of the day people will know. These terrorists, on their own part, look for every opportunity. When they see there is a drawdown or reduction in the troops brought in by the US, they might also try to exploit it to cause more mayhem and havoc.
“But I believe that since they have been degraded and brought down a little, we are on the right course, I must say. Maybe after the review, there might be a need to bring them back or increase the number. That’s what I think,” he said.
Ejiofor said he was unaware of any official statement declaring the US mission in Nigeria accomplished, stressing that it would be premature to conclude that the country’s security challenges had been fully addressed.
“Well, I am not aware of that statement, though. I cannot speculate on whether the mission has been accomplished. I don’t think the mission has been accomplished, but we have made significant progress in that direction,” he underscored.
While acknowledging significant progress in the fight against terrorism, he maintained that Nigeria still requires sustained collaboration with the United States, particularly in intelligence sharing and joint security operations.
“I believe we have made significant progress, but that is not to say that the progress is such that there will be a total withdrawal or reduction. We still need that synergy; we still need that collaboration because these operations are intelligence-driven. With their collaboration, the State Security Service, in conjunction with the other agencies, will provide the intelligence which will lead to some of these operations. Like the Chief of the Air Staff said, no single agency can do it. We all need to synergize and work together to ensure that this scourge is brought to an end, especially now that we are going into elections,” he stressed.
Dismissing claims that the US had abandoned Nigeria, Ejiofor said every country pursues its national interests but insisted the security partnership remains vital. He emphasised that the mission is not yet complete and called for a review of ongoing operations and continued intelligence collaboration before future decisions are made.
“I wouldn’t see it that way. Of course, you know that American foreign policy, they also have interests before pursuing any particular course; they have their interest. So I don’t think the mission has been achieved, otherwise, they would have completely withdrawn from the theater. They are still there, and possibly, like what I said, they need a review to study and make an appraisal of the equipment they recovered, who are the sources behind it, and gather more intelligence in collaboration with Nigerian security and intelligence services before they plan future operations,” he reiterated.
Speaking on Nigeria’s defence partnerships, the security expert warned the country should not rely solely on the United States in its fight against insecurity, stressing that terrorism is a global challenge requiring broad international cooperation.
“Terrorism and all these crimes against the state, it’s a global one. So we cannot rely on one country. We cannot put all our eggs in one basket. I can tell you that Nigeria is collaborating with various countries to see that we get success in this fight. So it’s not right to say that we rely completely on the United States.”
Adding, he revealed that Nigeria also collaborates with other countries for intelligence, military support and security equipment.
“Although the United States, in its usual way, has come out openly to display its own powers and see that they are the lead, we are collaborating and getting our equipment from Turkey, I know of Israel, and other countries, China, for instance, they are also participating,” he shared.
Speaking on the political dimension of the US-Nigeria security relationship, Ejiofor cautioned against reducing the country’s insecurity to a religious issue. He said terrorist attacks affect Nigerians across religious and ethnic lines, describing the perpetrators as criminal elements who should not be identified with any faith.
“We don’t need to politicize this. It has nothing to do with Christian attacks on a particular religious sect, like Christians for instance. The attack is virtually on everybody, even though Christians suffer more. Because you will recall that in the North, you have predominantly Muslims. Christian communities are not as much as we have in the South, South-South, and Southeast, for instance. But we have divergent religious views or ethnic compositions in the Southwest, but in the North, North Central, you have a concentration of some of these Christian communities which are being attacked.
“Don’t also forget that these people have said that they want to Islamize Nigeria, even though it’s not the whole of Muslims that are supporting their course. The fact is they are not even practicing Muslims, from some of the studies we’ve had. They don’t believe in Islam as other people do. They don’t even pray as they are supposed to pray; they don’t observe the ethics of Islam. So, they are on their own. They are just criminal elements that must be brought to book,” he explained.
Responding to US President Donald Trump’s repeated claims that attacks in Nigeria are primarily targeted at Christians, Ejiofor said the country’s insecurity should not be viewed solely through a religious lens. He described such narratives as divisive and urged Nigerians to promote unity across religious and ethnic lines.
“It should not be viewed that way. It’s his view. Of course, his opinion, he’s entitled to it. But like I said, more of the attacks in the North are against Christians, but not directly targeted against Christians. So that is politicization. Possibly he’s looking for other ways to cause division in our country. You know that when such divisions are made, America stands to benefit more from it. So we should avoid that. In our diversity, we should play more, get our diversity to unite us more instead of further divisions on religious and ethnic lines,” he advised.
Speaking on the proposed state police, the former DSS director described its establishment as a major step forward for Nigeria’s security architecture.
While acknowledging concerns about possible abuse by state governors, he said adequate checks and balances could address such risks, adding that state policing would strengthen intelligence gathering and improve responses to local security challenges.
“I think if we succeed in establishing the state police, that will be one of the greatest achievements of this administration.
“Although some people have their misgivings and reservations on the state police, that it will be abused by the state governors. I say laws are meant for human beings, and any form of abuse, there must be a balance. There must be checks and balances if such abuse is contained.
“I also expect, since all the governors have bought into the creation of state police, I expect that it will be easy for us to get two-thirds of the State Houses of Assembly to key into this project because that’s where there’s going to be a little challenge. But with the support of the governors, the National Assembly, and the President, the executive, I think it’s going to be an easy sail for the passage of the establishment of the state police. I have been a very serious advocate of the creation of state police. Our problems are local; the solutions must be local,” he insisted.
Adding that state police would enhance intelligence gathering and complement existing security agencies, Ejiofor dismissed concerns that the initiative could be weaponised for the 2027 elections. He said recruitment, training, funding and clear operational guidelines would take time to implement, while existing vigilante groups could be formally trained and integrated into the new system.
“With the provision of, especially, intelligence, which they now pass to the security and intelligence agency, which is now processed for necessary action, I think we will stand more to benefit. Let us not throw the baby out with the bathwater. Of course, we are on course, and I believe that the state police will help a lot in achieving our desired goals.
“Then talking about it being used by the state government for politics, the election of 2027, I very much doubt it because, first of all, you have to do recruitment, you do training, you talk of funding, and it’s not all the states that have the capacity or capability to key into or establish their own police. But if you look at it, virtually all the states have their own different vigilante or task forces, which can now be converted. And not only converted, they must be given formal training by the Nigeria Police so that there is a distinction. Distinctions are drawn between their functions and the functions of the Nigeria Police, how they will collaborate. So many, so many issues. It’s not something we can discuss now, but I believe that we are on the right course,” he insisted.
On the proposed federal oversight of state police, Ejiofor expressed concern that allowing the President to intervene in state policing could create political conflicts.
He argued that governors, as chief security officers of their states, should retain control, while any alleged abuse should be addressed through the courts rather than federal intervention.
“For me, it’s a concern because if you have a state police and you have the governor as the chief security officer of that state, and the presidency or the executive is coming to intervene in issues of abuse, or intervention to say this should not happen, I think there will be a conflict. There can be some political interventions, you know, if you are not, if it’s not your own state of control at the executive national level. They can decide to intervene and possibly scrap the police or bring them to order.
“So the governors must be given firm control of the state police as the chief security officer. When there’s abuse, you go to court to enforce your rights. But I don’t believe in that federal intervention,” he stressed.
Favour Odima
Follow us on:
