A Dangerous Precedent in Kwara State
The recent defence by the Office of the National Security Adviser concerning armed men arrested in Kwara State, found with automatic rifles, has exposed a troubling drift.
It raises the question of whether governance in Nigeria is being gradually surrendered into the hands of non‑state actors.
Double Standards in Security Architecture
The fact that the NSA, Nuhu Ribadu, is linked to arming the so‑called Fulani Vigilante Group under Miyetti Allah should alarm every Nigerian.
The irony is stark: while Southwest Governors are denied the right to equip Amotekun with automatic rifles, Miyetti Allah operatives are reportedly empowered with such weapons. This double standard undermines both equity and justice in national security policy.
Security Must Remain Local
Security is inherently local. States have vigilante structures rooted in their communities, better equipped to understand and respond to local realities. Why bypass these legitimate outfits, only to empower Miyetti Allah with sophisticated arms in Kwara State? Such a move destabilises trust, weakens local frameworks, and emboldens groups with controversial antecedents.
The Role of the Presidency
President Bola Tinubu cannot afford to overlook this development. The empowerment of militia groups by the NSA is a direct affront to federalism and a dangerous precedent that risks eroding Nigeria’s fragile security balance. The antecedents of Miyetti Allah make this decision even more alarming, given the group’s controversial history in national conflicts.
The Tripod Model: A Path to Real Security
Nigeria must move beyond reactionary measures and adopt a comprehensive framework for addressing insecurity. The Tripod Model offers such a pathway. It rests on three pillars: community vigilance, institutional accountability, and technological integration.
Community vigilance means empowering local security outfits like Amotekun and other state‑based vigilante groups with the tools and legitimacy to protect their communities. Institutional accountability ensures that federal agencies, including the Office of the NSA, operate transparently and equitably, without favouring one group over another.
Technological integration deploys modern surveillance, intelligence, and digital coordination systems to strengthen both local and national responses to threats.
This tripod, community, accountability, and technology, provides a balanced, sustainable approach to security.
It curbs the excesses of militia groups, restores confidence in governance, and ensures that every Nigerian feels protected under the same standard of justice.
A Call for Probe and Reform
This matter demands a thorough probe. Nigerians deserve transparency and assurance that the instruments of state power will not be handed to groups whose loyalties remain questionable.
More importantly, the adoption of the Tripod Model must become a national priority, so that insecurity is addressed not with disingenuous shortcuts but with a robust, equitable, and future‑ready framework.
