ONSA: A look at Ribadu’s one year in office, By Abdulrahman Usman Leme

He came prepared, and he was highly recommended based on his career history as the man who always got the job done. Beyond being the first non-military officer to serve as Nigeria’s National Security Adviser since the return to democracy in 1999, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu’s trail of triumphs in tackling the security compromises he inherited has set him apart. It’s easy to see how his background as a specialized police officer, lawyer, and fearless investigator and prosecutor of financial crimes has eased him into the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) in just one year in charge.

Mallam Nuhu Ribadu took charge at a time when the kidnapping economy, terrorist financing, and money laundering underscored the criminal enterprises built by terrorists, kidnappers, and bandits who’ve held the nation ransom. As the founding chief executive of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), he understands that to get to the root of our security compromises, we must follow the money trail linked to these crimes against the state. This approach isn’t surprising from a game-changer who, under his watch at the EFCC, recorded over 200 criminal convictions, making it the most respected anti-corruption agency in Nigeria’s history and a model for many governments around the world.

Delivering a public lecture at the Combined Convocation Ceremony of Usmanu Dan Fodiyo University, Sokoto, in April, Ribadu explained the doctrine that has defined his approach to solving the nation’s multifaceted security crisis. He argued that the way forward is unorthodox. The solution involves implementing a strategy that merges military, political, and socio-economic initiatives, emphasizing the need for cross-border cooperation, youth empowerment, and the reinforcement of local institutions. Achieving this requires inclusive dialogue, preventive measures, and regional support to ensure security and stability.

This doctrine has driven Ribadu’s engagements with regional and community stakeholders. For example, in the Niger Delta region, it has helped increase crude oil production by as much as 500,000 barrels per day. In the South-East, more than forty police stations destroyed by criminals in recent years have been rebuilt and reactivated. Additionally, the sit-at-home order by secessionist elements is now at its weakest, regularly ignored by residents who were once held hostage by it.

Ribadu has ensured improved operations through intelligence gathering and sharing, leading to targeted actions that have resulted in the elimination of key bandit leaders—the most in one year since the banditry began. In the North-West, previously elusive bandit leaders have been decimated, with many others arrested. Abubakar Mainok, Haruna Isiya Boderi, and Kachallah Damina are among the ISWAP kingpins neutralized in clearance operations to secure the Abuja-Kaduna Expressway. In the North-Central region, the intensity of farmer-herder clashes has considerably reduced. The North-East, which has long endured the ravages of terror, is now seeing not only stability but also efforts towards reconstruction and rehabilitation to restore its former glory.

Since Ribadu assumed office in June 2023, the Nigerian government has successfully secured the release of more than 4,600 hostages, neutralised over 9,000 terrorists, bandits, and kidnappers, and arrested more than 7,000 others. Large quantities of assorted weapons and ammunition have also been recovered. Some of the rescued individuals had spent as much as three years in captivity and had long given up hope of freedom. Ribadu has ensured swift rescue missions for abducted children and citizens. The rapid responses to rescue operations, from the freeing of the Kuriga schoolchildren to the release of students abducted from the Federal University of Gusau, and the recent rescue of Kogi students coordinated by ONSA, will go down in history as defining moments of Ribadu’s first year as NSA.

To neutralise the economic threats to Nigeria’s sovereignty, Ribadu participated in operations to enforce action against the culprits, particularly Binance, a serial offender in several countries, in accordance with the nation’s laws. Pursuing offenders with links to trans-border terrorism is a familiar terrain for him and is aided by his distinguished international network and reputation. Ribadu has utilised his international networks to track trans-border terrorists and their financiers.

The NSA has fostered collaborations both domestically and internationally. He has ensured seamless coordination within Nigeria’s armed forces. In 2023, ONSA hosted the second United Kingdom–Nigeria Security and Defence Partnership (SDP) Dialogue, demonstrating a commitment to strengthening partnerships to address mutual security concerns. ONSA has also held a Counter-Terrorism Summit in collaboration with the United Nations Office on Counter-Terrorism, which saw over 400 foreign delegates, including two serving presidents, in Nigeria. In March 2024, Ribadu convened a meeting with Northern Governors and security chiefs aimed at enhancing cooperation in combating insecurity in the region. One significant outcome of this meeting was a consensus on the need to shift focus from merely holding ground to strategically influencing perceptions and gaining the trust of local populations in the fight against insecurity.

ONSA is a multifaceted organisation with several critical functions and offices. Over the past year, we have witnessed the revitalisation of these specialised centres, including the National Counterterrorism Centre (NCTC), the National Cybersecurity Coordination Centre (NCCC), and the National Centre for the Control of Small Arms and Light Weapons (NCCSALW). This aligns with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s commitment to ensuring security and stability across the country. These efforts are crucial in addressing the diverse security challenges we face today.

Ribadu’s non-kinetic strategies have played a crucial role in preventing farmer-herder clashes, with significant results evident in states like Kaduna, Taraba, Adamawa, Nasarawa, Sokoto, and Plateau—except for a few isolated incidents in Plateau State. These states, which have experienced some of the worst communal clashes in the past decade, have seen marked improvements and greater stability over the past year. The previously unaddressed security issues have given rise to numerous Middle Belt activists who have allied with their southern counterparts to single out certain northern demographics as the masterminds of their insecurity.

His unique interventions in matters of national importance are noteworthy due to his ability to strike deals and honor them, which helps prevent issues from escalating into national crises. Reviewing Ribadu’s first year in office as NSA would be incomplete without highlighting his focus on reforming the Nigeria Police Force (NPF). Much has been written and said about the anomaly of a militarised shift in internal security in Nigeria, with the Armed Forces permanently present and actively operating in virtually every State. Improving the capacity of the Police has since become an ongoing imperative, and there have been varying attempts over the years to accomplish this, with mixed results.

Ribadu has now put this high up on his agenda, drawing on his 25-year career in the Force. In 2023, the Office of the NSA entered a partnership with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the German Embassy in Nigeria for the rollout of a comprehensive police reform program that will support the work of the Special Presidential Committee on Police Reform. Ribadu has prioritized interagency coordination and collaboration across a diverse group of law enforcement personnel—often across borders—to achieve success in his pursuit of fraudsters and cybercriminals.

While he’s not a man given to blowing his own trumpet, even though he operates in a country where many mistake media activity for effectiveness, Ribadu acknowledges that law enforcement agencies cannot hope to receive much credit for the criminality they quietly foil. He recently described his role as NSA as “a demanding job that requires dexterity, hard work, and consensus-building across security and political structures.” In the 12 months since his historic appointment by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, he has demonstrated a solid understanding of what is expected and has lived up to the onerous responsibilities of one of the most critical public sector assignments in the country.

While we have not yet reached our ultimate goal in terms of national security, the progress made thus far under Ribadu’s leadership at ONSA is promising. His holistic and pragmatic approach, which complements military efforts through enhanced coordination and intelligence sharing, indicates a committed effort towards restoring order and security. These steps indicate a thoughtful and effective strategy aimed at comprehensively addressing our security challenges.This aligns with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration’s commitment to supporting the armed forces and encouraging inter-agency coordination in combating terrorism, criminality, and all forms of terror, ensuring the nation’s lasting stability.

Abdulrahman Usman Leme has held leadership positions at the Dangote Group, Sani Bello Foundation, Aliko Dangote Foundation, NIRSAL PLC, and writes from Abuja, Nigeria.