Terrorism: North-West DSS Chiefs strategise in Kaduna
Top Directors of the Department of State Services (DSS) across North-West states have met in Kaduna to review prevailing security threats and develop new strategies to strengthen intelligence collaboration against banditry, terrorism, and other emerging security challenges. The zonal security conference also drew participants from the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Niger, and Plateau States. The […]
Top Directors of the Department of State Services (DSS) across North-West states have met in Kaduna to review prevailing security threats and develop new strategies to strengthen intelligence collaboration against banditry, terrorism, and other emerging security challenges.
The zonal security conference also drew participants from the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Niger, and Plateau States. The forum served as a platform to harmonize intelligence-sharing mechanisms and reinforce joint response strategies across state boundaries.
Declaring the meeting open, Kaduna State Governor, Senator Uba Sani, represented by the Commissioner for Internal Security and Home Affairs, Sule Shuaibu (SAN), emphasized that intelligence-led collaboration remains the most effective weapon for neutralizing security threats in the North-West and beyond.
He described the DSS as “the invisible backbone of Nigeria’s internal stability,” noting that the agency has been instrumental in safeguarding democracy and pre-empting threats nationwide.
“This conference offers an opportunity for reflection, coordination, and strategic renewal,” he said.
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Governor Sani reiterated his administration’s commitment to intelligence-driven security operations through close partnerships with the DSS and other agencies to detect and disrupt threats ranging from violent extremism and sabotage to misinformation.
He stressed that modern security management requires “more than traditional intelligence gathering,” calling for greater investment in analytical capacity, inter-agency trust, and technology-driven intelligence systems.
The Governor also urged security leaders to adopt non-kinetic peacebuilding methods, including community engagement, preventive diplomacy, and counter-narrative strategies. “Peace must be pursued through justice, development, and inclusion,” he added.
The Emir of Zazzau, Ambassador Ahmed Nuhu Bamalli, in his goodwill message, commended the DSS for maintaining close cooperation with traditional institutions in tackling local disputes and threats.
He revealed that through DSS-backed alternative dispute resolution mechanisms, the Zazzau Emirate had decongested its courts by over 2,000 cases in the past two years. The monarch also praised the agency’s vetting of district and village heads, saying the process has helped identify and remove unfit traditional officials.
“It’s better to get rid of them from the beginning than allow them to exploit their people,” he said.
Representing the General Officer Commanding 1 Division Nigerian Army, Major General Mohammed Wase, the 1 Division Garrison Commander, Brigadier General Mohammed Kana, said consistent actionable intelligence from the DSS had enabled the military to record major victories against bandits and terrorists in the region.
In his welcome address, Mr. Hakeem Abiola, the Kaduna State Director of the DSS, explained that the zonal meeting was convened to review operational challenges and enhance synergy among security formations across the North-West.
He said the DSS has successfully implemented several kinetic and non-kinetic operations under the leadership of the Director-General, Mr. Oluwatosin Adeola Ajayi, including community-based peace initiatives designed to “win the hearts and minds” of citizens.
Abiola highlighted the agency’s partnerships with traditional rulers, religious bodies, and civil society as vital to sustaining peace in Kaduna.
“Through regular engagements with JNI, CAN, and community leaders, we’ve been able to resolve sensitive disputes before they escalate,” he said.
He also credited the Kaduna Peace Model, a community-led framework institutionalized by the state government, with reducing kidnapping and banditry along the Kaduna–Abuja, Kaduna–Kachia, and Birnin Gwari highways.
The DSS director disclosed that in the past year, the service, working with other agencies, had intercepted arms shipments, rescued kidnap victims, and foiled terror plots across the region many of them executed discreetly.
Abiola further advocated for the creation of a regional security forum involving security chiefs, traditional rulers, and political leaders to tackle cross-border crimes and terrorism.