A former Director of the Department of State Services (DSS), Mr. Mike Ejiofor, says that the appointment of a Special Adviser for Homeland Security might be an innovative action, and a new approach to addressing Nigeria’s internal security.
Ejiofor says though the functions of the new office have yet not been spelt out, he nonetheless believes it would take charge of internal security like forensic and insurgency just like what obtains in the USA.
According to him, the presidential adviser on Homeland Security and the National Security Adviser (NSA) looks almost the same, but said he wouldn’t want to speculate until all details of the new office emerge.
He said: “Honestly, I don’t see the rationale behind the creation of that office because it’s definitely going to conflict with the office of the NSA, the DSS, and the other agencies. “However, it might be an innovation, a new approach to addressing internal security by Mr President.
Until they start, until they take off, one cannot say exactly what they are up to for now. “Presently, NSA coordinates all the security agencies. So, nothing is clear for now.
“I believe they would have intensified the funding and equipping the existing agencies, instead of creating more offices. “I honestly don’t think there is a need for these multi-services creations, but we don’t know if they are political or for whatever reasons.
“With all this, we are definitely going to have conflict with either the office of the NSA, the DSS, Immigration and Customs, because they are not clearly defined. “I don’t know how they’re going to interact.
Is the new adviser going to be working under the NSA or is it going to be a separate entity? “I can’t say for now who he is going to report to directly. So, until all those details emerge, nothing is clear for now.
“But, I don’t think it’s politics because if that is the case, Mr President could have easily removed the NSA and appointed another one.”
