Senator Adams Oshiomhole wants the name of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps changed — or at least the law that created it reviewed. He says the word "civil" no longer makes sense when operatives are sent to fight criminals carrying sophisticated weapons.

Oshiomhole, who chairs the Senate Committee on Interior, made the call on Friday in Abuja at the launch of a book titled “Nigeria’s Security Dilemma: Rivalries and Implications Vol. 1.” The book was written by Dr Olusola Odumosu, the FCT Commandant of the NSCDC.

The event took place at the National Defence College. Oshiomhole told the audience that the idea of a "civil" defence corps suggests a force without firearms. But in reality, NSCDC operatives are deployed against heavily armed criminals destroying public assets and engaging in illegal oil bunkering.

“If the criminals you have to fight carry a sophisticated weapon, you who is fighting them, your weapon should be nothing less than sophisticated,” Oshiomhole said.

He argued that the current arrangement leaves operatives "civil" while they confront "hardened criminals." That mismatch, he said, needs to be fixed through a review of the NSCDC Establishment Act.

The senator also called for stronger collaboration among security agencies. He insisted that intelligence sharing shouldn't be treated as optional. Oshiomhole recommended that the Department of State Services work closely with the Police and the Army, feeding them intelligence to act upon.

He cited his experience as a former governor of Edo State. Back then, military escorts provided firepower cover for operatives executing intelligence-led raids against kidnappers. That approach, he said, led to the arrest of "many" suspects.

But Oshiomhole lamented that successful arrests were sometimes undermined at the prosecution stage. He cited instances where judges granted bail or discharged suspects despite the effort invested in apprehending them. "It's dangerous if they're found to be discharged," he said.

On interagency rivalry, the senator stressed that national security must rise above partisan or institutional interests. "When it comes to security, there is no PDP, no APC… we need to understand that," he said. He urged operational heads to ensure that directives given to field commanders are matched with adequate equipment, morale and welfare for personnel.

The Minister of Defence, General Christopher Musa, was represented at the event by Rear Admiral Olusanya Bankole (retd). Bankole said he personally reviewed a draft of the book about two weeks ago and noted its treatment of interagency rivalry. He said steps were already underway to strengthen collaboration among security agencies, stressing that "the stability of Nigeria is more important than the ego of any agency."

Deputy Commandant General Zakari Ibrahim Ningi, in charge of Technical Services, represented the Commandant General of the NSCDC, Prof. Ahmed Audi. Ningi said insecurity had become a global phenomenon affecting every sector, and Nigeria isn't an exception. He added that the timing of the book's launch couldn't have been better.

Dr Odumosu, the author, said no single security agency possesses all the answers to Nigeria's security challenges. "No one agency has it all. There's a need for a united front because security isn't what one agency can do. No one has a monopoly of wisdom," he said. He identified interagency rivalry as the bane of a coordinated national response to security threats.

The Inspector General of Police, Olatunji Disu, was represented at the event by the FCT Commissioner of Police as Special Guest of Honour. The book was formally launched by Hon. Tayo Odumuyiwa, who launched it with N20 million.

  • Senator Adams Oshiomhole chairs the Senate Committee on Interior.
  • He spoke at the launch of Dr Olusola Odumosu's book on June 19, 2026.
  • The book is titled “Nigeria’s Security Dilemma: Rivalries and Implications Vol. 1.”
  • The event was held at the National Defence College, Abuja.
  • The book was launched with N20 million by Hon. Tayo Odumuyiwa.