Ex-defence chief proposes 5-level security architecture for N/Central

Former Chief of Defence Intelligence, Air Vice Marshal Monday Riku Morgan, has proposed a five-tier security framework for the North-Central region of Nigeria. The key challenge Morgan identifies is the lack of coordination among security agencies, rather than a shortage of agencies. At a security summit organized by the Federal Ministry of Defence in partnership with the Office of the Special Assistant to the President on Community Relations, Morgan outlined his proposed North-Central Integrated Security and Resilience Model (NCISRM).

This model aims to integrate intelligence, inter-agency collaboration, community engagement, technological solutions, and local early warning systems.

Morgan suggests four crucial transitions for the region: shifting from agency-focused to system-focused security; moving from reactive to preventive strategies; transitioning from isolated intelligence gathering to unified intelligence fusion; and evolving from government-led security to a partnership between government and the community.

The NCISRM's first tier would be a Regional Security Fusion Centre, connected to the National Security Adviser's office and the National Counter Terrorism Centre. This center would consolidate intelligence from multiple agencies into a single regional threat assessment. The second tier involves establishing State Security Coordination Centres in each North-Central state to maintain continuous situational awareness and coordinate intelligence before threats materialize.

Morgan then proposes Local Security Networks in high-risk local government areas, integrating security forces, traditional leaders, local officials, farmers, herders, civil society organizations, and trained community observers. Finally, the fourth tier concentrates on securing the region's expansive forests and rural zones, which Morgan argues should no longer be overlooked as "intelligence black holes" due to their vast extent.