AKINWALE ABOLUWADE
Major General Ishola Williams (retd.) has faulted the dominant narrative surrounding Nigeria’s security challenges, arguing that the country is grappling with a public safety breakdown rather than terrorism or external aggression.
Williams, former Commandant of the Nigerian Army Training and Doctrine Command spoke during an appearance on Frontline, a public affairs programme on Eagle 102.5 FM, Ilese Ijebu, on Tuesday.
In the wide-ranging interview, he called for sweeping reforms to Nigeria’s security institutions, policing structure and governance framework.
Dispelling speculations about external threat, Williams contended that Nigeria does not currently face a defence crisis because no foreign power is attacking the country. He also dismissed fears of invasion by neighbouring states.
He said, “There is a difference between defence, security and public safety. Nigeria has no defence problem because no external force is attacking us. None of our neighbours has the capacity or intention to invade. What we are facing is a public safety crisis caused by governance failure and institutional collapse.”
He maintained that describing banditry and kidnapping as terrorism misrepresents the situation and distracts policymakers from addressing the underlying issues.
According to him, acts such as suicide bombings and coordinated attacks are tactics, not the core problem. The real threats, he said, are banditry, cattle rustling, illegal mining, kidnapping and other forms of organised violent crime driven largely by Nigerians.
Tracing the origins of the crisis, Williams blamed political actors for arming and mobilising young people during elections, only to abandon them afterwards.
“Politicians recruited youths as vigilantes, armed them and used them for electoral purposes. After winning, they left them to fend for themselves. Combined with poverty and unemployment, that betrayal created resentment.
“Religion later became a rallying point, but it was not the original cause. Bad governance laid the foundation,” he said.
He also challenged claims that groups such as Boko Haram and ISWAP are primarily foreign creations, insisting that they are largely domestic movements born out of socio-political failures.
“Most Boko Haram fighters are Nigerians from Borno. They are not trying to conquer Nigeria; they are pursuing a local agenda. That shows clearly that this is a domestic problem requiring domestic solutions,” he stated.
Williams further dismissed widespread claims that armed groups are infiltrating Nigeria from Mali, Niger or Chad, describing such narratives as exaggerated and lacking evidence.
The retired general criticised what he described as a culture of impunity within Nigeria’s security establishment, despite massive budgetary allocations.
“Trillions of naira have been spent on defence and security, yet insecurity worsens. Where is the accountability? In other countries, commanders are removed after major failures. In Nigeria, there are rarely consequences. That lack of accountability fuels the crisis,” he said.
He stated that procurement of weapons alone cannot end insurgency or criminal violence, stressing that intelligence, doctrine, discipline and proper training are more decisive factors than hardware.
As part of his recommendations, Williams advocated decentralised policing, describing it as essential to rebuilding public safety.
He urged the National Assembly to accelerate action on state policing, noting that many governors appear prepared for the shift. He also proposed restructuring the Nigeria Police Force into specialised federal agencies focused on intelligence coordination and paramilitary support, while allowing states to manage routine law enforcement.
“Let states handle everyday policing, while the federal government concentrates on intelligence and paramilitary response. That is how modern systems work,” he said, suggesting governors should be seen as Chief Public Safety Officers rather than merely Chief Security Officers.
Williams singled out the Western Nigeria Security Network, popularly known as Amotekun, as an example of effective community-based policing.
Despite funding and logistical constraints, he said the outfit has demonstrated the value of local knowledge in intelligence gathering and early threat detection.
“Security must grow from within the community. When those responsible for policing understand the terrain, language and culture, intelligence flows naturally,” he noted, urging the Federal Government to study and replicate the model nationwide rather than politicise it.
The retired officer also cautioned against calls for foreign military involvement, including from the United States, questioning the historical effectiveness of such interventions.
He argued that Nigeria must address its internal governance and institutional weaknesses instead of relying on external forces.
“If smaller countries in the region can manage their security challenges, Nigeria can too. The solution lies in fixing our systems, ensuring accountability and strengthening community-based policing,” Williams said.
