When President Bola Tinubu appointed retired Major General Adeyinka A. Famadewa as special adviser on homeland security on Monday, he created a role that had never existed at Nigeria’s federal level and chose a man whose career has been defined by building the intelligence architecture the country now depends on.
The appointment shows a significant shift in Nigeria’s security structure, which has historically concentrated all advisory functions within the Office of the National Security Adviser. For the first time, a dedicated homeland security advisory role has been established at the presidency.
Famadewa brings over three decades of military and intelligence experience spanning national security strategy, intelligence fusion, counter-terrorism operations and international security diplomacy. But it is his work in creating the systems that connect Nigeria’s fragmented security agencies that may prove most valuable in his new role.
Building the intelligence fusion framework
Between 2015 and 2021, Famadewa served as principal general staff officer to the national security adviser at the Office of the National Security Adviser, a position that placed him at the centre of Nigeria’s security coordination efforts during some of the country’s most challenging years.
His most consequential achievement was spearheading the establishment of the Intelligence Fusion Centre at ONSA. The centre created an integrated multi-agency intelligence platform that brought together the Defence Intelligence Agency, National Intelligence Agency, Department of State Services, the Nigeria Police Force and the Armed Forces to improve national threat assessment and strategic response coordination.
Before the centre’s creation, these agencies often operated in silos, with limited information sharing and coordination. The fusion centre addressed this by creating a centralised platform for intelligence gathering, analysis and dissemination across security agencies.
From military service to policy research
Following his retirement from active military service, Famadewa did not step away from national security work. He took up a position as senior research fellow at the Nigerian Army Resource Centre in Abuja, where he continued contributing to policy thinking on policing, civil-security cooperation and national security reform.
His scholarly work includes a widely cited monograph titled “Policing and National Security in Nigeria”, which offers practical frameworks for strengthening civil-security collaboration. The work addresses one of Nigeria’s persistent security challenges: the disconnect between military operations, police work and civilian cooperation in addressing security threats.
In 2023, Famadewa wrote an article published in Premium Times arguing for a comprehensive redefinition of Nigeria’s national security approach. “Security is the responsibility of the whole of society, government and nation,” he wrote. “Interrelatedness is a major characteristic of the modern society, and therefore, any talk of addressing insecurity by military force alone, is like using paracetamol to cure cancer.”
Continuing education and strategic thinking
Even after decades of military service, Famadewa has continued his education. He is currently a PhD student in Leadership and Security at King’s College London, deepening his academic engagement with security studies whilst maintaining his practical policy contributions in Nigeria.
This combination of operational experience, institutional knowledge and academic rigour positions him uniquely for the homeland security advisory role. He understands both the tactical realities of security operations and the strategic frameworks needed for long-term security planning.
A pioneer role in a new security era
The creation of the homeland security adviser position reflects the Tinubu administration’s recognition that Nigeria’s security challenges require dedicated coordination beyond traditional military and intelligence structures.
According to the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, the appointment underscores the administration’s commitment to strengthening internal security coordination, enhancing intelligence-driven operations and deepening inter-agency collaboration in addressing emerging security threats across the country.
President Tinubu expressed confidence that Famadewa’s appointment will enhance efforts towards achieving a safer Nigeria through improved coordination of homeland security initiatives, intelligence integration and proactive risk management.
The president urged Famadewa to deploy his wealth of experience, professionalism and strategic insight in advancing national security objectives and supporting the administration’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
The challenge ahead
Famadewa inherits a complex security landscape. Nigeria faces multiple threats including insurgency in the north-east, banditry in the north-west, separatist agitation in the south-east, kidnapping across multiple regions and increasing urban crime.
His experience building the Intelligence Fusion Centre suggests he understands that effective security requires more than military force. It requires coordination, intelligence sharing, strategic planning and the integration of multiple agencies working towards common objectives.
Whether the new homeland security adviser role can effectively coordinate these disparate elements and produce tangible improvements in Nigeria’s security situation remains to be seen. But in Famadewa, Tinubu has chosen someone who has spent his career building the very systems that role will now depend on.
