The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) has called for a permanent joint security operations centre in Awka to improve intelligence sharing and the response to kidnapping and other violent crimes in Anambra State.

The proposal was made by the state NSCDC Commandant, Maku Olatunde, at a security summit organised by the Nigeria Forest Security Services (NFSS) in Awka on Monday, 10 August.

Olatunde, who was represented by the command’s spokesperson, Superintendent of Corps Okadigbo Edwin, said the proposed centre should have representatives of relevant security agencies working around the clock.

He also called for standardised communication equipment, regular joint training and operations, monthly security summits across Anambra’s three senatorial zones and greater involvement of communities in security planning.

The proposals come as Anambra continues to deal with kidnapping, cult-related violence, armed robbery and attacks involving gunmen.

A January 2026 security assessment by the European Union Agency for Asylum identified kidnapping, cultism, armed robbery and killings among the security concerns affecting the state. It also reported attacks targeting security forces and vigilantes.

Why coordination matters

The NSCDC argues that the nature of modern crime makes it difficult for individual security agencies to operate effectively in isolation.

“Cooperation is working together. Collaboration is joint planning and execution. Coordination is harmonizing all efforts to avoid duplication. Without the three, we cannot win the war against crimes and criminality,” Mr Olatunde said.

He listed kidnapping, terrorism, cultism, armed robbery, banditry and illegal mining among threats that require joint action.

“Criminals do not carry ID cards of which agency they fall under. A kidnapper can operate in the forest in the morning and in the city in the evening. If all security agencies are not collaborating, then tackling insecurity will be far from us while the criminal wins,” he added.

The distinction between the three forms of cooperation is important. Sharing intelligence is different from jointly planning an operation, while coordination is intended to prevent different agencies from working at cross purposes.

Anambra has tried coordination before

The latest proposal is not the first attempt to improve cooperation among security agencies in the state.

In February 2025, the then Anambra Commissioner of Police, Ikioye Orutugu, also called for stronger coordination between security agencies, identifying intelligence sharing, operational efficiency and public trust as areas where cooperation could improve security outcomes.

Security chiefs also met in Awka in May 2025 to coordinate arrangements for President Bola Tinubu’s visit to the state. The meeting involved representatives of the police, DSS, Army, Navy, NSCDC and other agencies.

In October 2025, the police established a Situation Room in Awka ahead of the governorship election. Representatives of the Army, DSS, NSCDC, FRSC, NDLEA, Immigration Service, Fire Service and Correctional Service took part in the security planning.

What is stopping agencies from working together?

Mr Olatunde identified institutional rivalry and practical constraints as obstacles.

He cited “ego and turf issues”, inadequate communication equipment, lack of trust and insufficient funding for joint operations.

The NSCDC has therefore proposed a system in which agencies would have representatives working together continuously, rather than waiting for a security incident before establishing temporary coordination.

NSCDC’s role

The Corps has a statutory role that makes cooperation particularly relevant to its operations.

Under the NSCDC Act and its 2007 amendment, the Corps is mandated to protect lives and critical national assets and infrastructure. Its official mandate also includes crime prevention, intelligence gathering and collaboration with other security and law-enforcement agencies.

The NSCDC says its Anambra command already conducts joint patrols with the military, police, DSS and other paramilitary agencies.

It also says it holds weekly intelligence-fusion meetings, conducts joint tactical and media training, and works with community stakeholders.

A wider Nigerian security problem

The argument for better coordination extends beyond Anambra.

In early August, Nigerian security forces rescued 308 people abducted in separate incidents in Niger and Kwara states in what President Bola Tinubu described as the country’s largest single-day joint security rescue operation. The operation involved multiple security services and was presented as an example of intelligence-led cooperation.

That operation illustrates both the potential benefit and the complexity of multi-agency security work. Intelligence has to move between organisations, while personnel, equipment and command structures must be brought together quickly.

For Anambra, the challenge is different in scale and character but the principle is similar: criminals can move between forests, roads, towns and communities, crossing the operational boundaries of individual agencies.

Citizens are also being asked to play a role

Mr Olatunde said security could not be left entirely to government agencies.

He called on traditional rulers, religious leaders, community associations and civil society organisations to promote vigilance and provide credible information to authorities.

“A society where citizens are indifferent to suspicious activities creates room for criminal elements to thrive,” he said.

That approach could improve early warning, particularly in communities where residents have better knowledge of local movements than outside security personnel.

The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) says it will deploy 10,210 personnel and specialised tactical units to Osun State ahead of Saturday’s governorship election.

The deployment begins on Monday, five days before the 15 August poll, and will cover the state’s 30 local government areas.

The Corps said the operation is intended to protect voters, electoral officials, election materials, journalists, observers and other residents.

The deployment comes as political tensions and concerns about election-related violence remain part of the preparations for the poll.

Who is being deployed?

According to the NSCDC, about 10,000 uniformed and undercover personnel will be drawn from 10 state commands.

The commands are in Oyo, Ondo, Ekiti, Ogun, Lagos, Kwara, Edo, Kogi, Delta and the Federal Capital Territory, with about 1,000 personnel expected from each.

They will reinforce the existing Osun Command and work alongside the police, military and other security agencies.

The Corps is also sending its Special Intelligence Squad, Special Weapons and Tactics Unit, Specialised Female Squad, Mining Marshals, Special Strike Force, Crack Squad and K9 Unit.

The NSCDC says these units will focus on intelligence gathering, crime prevention, protection of critical infrastructure, crowd control and other election-related security duties.

Senior NSCDC officers will also relocate to Osun to supervise the operation.

The Deputy Commandant General in charge of Operations, Ayuba Phillip, will lead the operational coordination, alongside designated Assistant Commandants General and other senior officers.

Why the heavy security presence?

Security has become a major issue in the run-up to the election.

In June, the Inspector-General of Police, Tunji Disu, ordered an end to political killings and violence in Osun. The state government said the police had been asked to investigate cases of violence and take action against those responsible.

In July, Governor Ademola Adeleke and the police chief discussed measures to prevent political violence. Mr Disu warned that “this is an election, not a war” and called for a peaceful atmosphere for voting.

The Independent National Electoral Commission has also stressed the importance of neutrality among security personnel.

INEC’s Resident Electoral Commissioner in Osun said security personnel deployed for the election would take an oath of neutrality and undergo training before the poll.

That matters because a large security deployment can protect voters and election officials, but it can also create concerns if officers are perceived as intimidating voters or favouring one political side.

The NSCDC Commandant General, Ahmed Audi, said personnel had been instructed to remain neutral.

“As an agency saddled with the responsibility of protecting critical infrastructure and national assets; the safety and security of Election materials and Electoral officials are very critical alongside the electorates; you have the responsibility of ensuring unbiased synergy with other Security Agencies on Election duty to actualize a free, fair and credible election.”

He added:

“Our personnel have been properly briefed on the need to be professional, neutral and respectful in the discharge of their duties”.

The Corps also warned against attempts to disrupt voting.

“In the light of the above the NSCDC in collaboration with other security agencies on election duty will not tolerate any activity intended to jeopardize the election process; criminal minded persons and political thugs willing to disrupt the peaceful conduct of the election would face the wrath of the law as prescribed in the Electoral Act”

How does this compare with 2022?

The latest deployment is not the first large-scale NSCDC operation for an Osun governorship election.

For the 2022 election, the Corps announced the deployment of 11,226 personnel to cover polling units, collation centres, flashpoints and critical national assets.

The 2026 deployment of 10,000 personnel from 10 state commands is therefore smaller than the 2022 figure before the additional specialised units are taken into account.

The difference does not necessarily indicate a reduction in overall security capacity because the present plan includes several specialised formations.

What else is at stake?

Security is only one part of the electoral risk.

INEC has expressed concern about vote buying ahead of the election and urged journalists to document suspected incidents in sufficient detail to support investigations and prosecution.

The commission says 2,339,233 voters are registered for the election across 3,763 polling units and 30 local government areas. Fourteen political parties are expected to participate, according to INEC’s preparations announced in July.

This means the security operation will have to do more than prevent physical violence.

Officers will also be expected to protect electoral materials, allow accredited observers and journalists to work, prevent intimidation and ensure that voters can reach polling units without undue interference.

The NSCDC says its personnel will work within an inter-agency framework involving the Nigeria Police Force, the military and other security agencies.

The Corps has appealed to political parties, candidates, supporters and residents to remain peaceful and report suspicious activity to the appropriate authorities.

For voters, the immediate test will be whether the large security presence creates a safe environment without undermining the freedom and neutrality that an election requires.

The next major test will come on polling day, when the conduct of security personnel, political actors, election officials and voters can be assessed against those commitments.

The Ogun State Commissioner of Police, Bode Ojajuni, has called for greater religious tolerance and peaceful coexistence in Nigeria, saying security agencies must protect the right of people to practise their faith.

Mr Ojajuni made the remarks on Sunday, 9 August, while attending ceremonies at St Martin’s Police Catholic Church in Ogun State.

The event included the confirmation of 65 Catholic candidates, the blessing of a newly built grotto and the foundation-laying ceremony for a Catholic chaplains’ house.

The ceremonies were presided over by the Catholic Bishop of Abeokuta Diocese, Most Rev Dr Peter Olukayode Odetoyinbo.

What the police commissioner said

Mr Ojajuni congratulated the 65 people who received the sacrament of confirmation and praised the Catholic community for what he described as its commitment to faith, discipline and peaceful coexistence.

He said religious tolerance was essential to Nigeria’s security and stability.

“Nigeria’s strength lies in its diversity and the ability of citizens to live together peacefully irrespective of religious or ethnic differences,” Mr Ojajuni said.

He added that the Nigeria Police Force remained committed to protecting the right of citizens to practise their religions “within the ambit of the law”.

The commissioner also urged religious leaders to promote messages of love, unity and understanding, while rejecting extremism and intolerance.

He said religious communities should avoid ideologies capable of undermining national peace and unity.

Why the statement matters

Freedom of religion is not simply a matter of goodwill by the police. It is a constitutional right.

Section 38 of Nigeria’s 1999 Constitution guarantees freedom of thought, conscience and religion, including the right to practise and manifest one’s religion in public or private.

The African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights, which has force of law in Nigeria, also protects freedom of conscience and the free practice of religion.

This places an important responsibility on the police, particularly when religious tensions threaten public order.

The Police Act 2020 requires the force to uphold fundamental rights and to treat people fairly regardless of their religious, ethnic or political beliefs.

What happened at the church

The Catholic ceremony itself was primarily a religious and community event.

The 65 candidates received the sacrament of confirmation from Bishop Odetoyinbo.

The bishop also blessed the newly constructed Grotto of Our Mother of Perpetual Help, which the church said would provide a place for prayer and reflection.

A foundation was also laid for a Catholic Chaplains’ House intended to provide accommodation for Catholic chaplains serving the police community.

The police said senior officers, including ACP Gloria Otonko and other officers from the command, attended the ceremonies.

Mr Ojajuni also commended the Catholic chaplain, CSP Rev Fr Paul Omotosho, for his work in providing spiritual support to police personnel and members of the Catholic community.

Beyond one religious community

The commissioner’s message has implications beyond the Catholic community.

For Nigerians, religious tolerance is closely linked to security because religious or ethnic divisions can become flashpoints during periods of political or social tension.

The police are often among the first state institutions expected to respond when such tensions threaten public order.

The Police Act therefore places public safety and the protection of fundamental rights alongside the police’s enforcement responsibilities.

For that reason, the more important question will be how consistently the principle is applied when religious disagreements become disputes, protests or security incidents.

For now, the Ogun commissioner has publicly reaffirmed his commitment to religious tolerance.

Source: Ogun State Police Command statement issued by DSP Oluseyi B. Babasiyi, Police Public Relations Officer, on 9 August 2026.