Prominent Nigerian activist and lawyer, Maduabuchi Idam, has called on President Bola Tinubu to include qualified women in Nigeria’s national security leadership.
This was as he emphasised the need for out-of-the-box thinking to address the country’s worsening security challenges.
In a strongly worded statement issued on Sunday, Idam called on President Tinubu to appoint women as Security Chiefs, arguing that gender inclusion could offer a fresh and effective approach to combating insecurity across the nation.
In a statement titled, “No Legal Basis for Gender Bias in Security Appointments”, Idam said, “Given the spate of insecurity in Nigeria, the time for out-of-the-box thinking has to be now,” Idam stated. “Nothing produces a different result when done repeatedly in the same manner.
“I have not come across any legislation that favours the apparent exclusion of women from key security positions in Nigeria,” he said. “Therefore, I am constrained to ask: Why are women hardly appointed as Security Chiefs?”
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He noted that a review of existing statutes governing appointments within Nigeria’s security agencies revealed no legal prohibition against women serving as Security Chiefs.
He argued that the bias against women in Nigeria’s security hierarchy is both unfounded and detrimental, especially when considering the underperformance of the current male-dominated security leadership.
“It is worrisome that the security situation in Nigeria continues to question the competence of the security chiefs,” Idam added. “It is high time Nigeria considered female leadership in the nation’s security architecture.”
Highlighting the consistency, firmness, and intelligence often associated with female leaders, Idam emphasised that security leadership in Nigeria is more intelligence-driven than combat-based, making women equally qualified to take charge.
“Contrary to popular bias, women are not less defensive than men. The same training that qualifies male officers applies to female officers,” he noted.
“Women are stable, consistent, and firm in decision-making—qualities needed to manage Nigeria’s complex security apparatus.”
Idam expressed concern over what he termed a “tacit, prejudicial conspiracy” among Nigeria’s political elite and civil society groups, who rarely advocate for the inclusion of women in top security roles, even in the midst of widespread insecurity.
“Curiously, the idea of female security chiefs is rarely talked about—not even by women’s rights advocates. This silence must be addressed,” he asserted.
The activist concluded by urging President Tinubu to lead a paradigm shift in national security management by appointing qualified female officers into top security roles, saying it would not only promote equity but could also deliver more effective results in tackling insecurity.
