Security Agencies in Nigeria & Their Roles
Understanding security agencies in Nigeria, their roles and government agencies’ jobs is essential.
What is a security agency?
A security agency is a governmental parastatal or organization in charge of activities that border on intelligence for the country’s or nation’s internal security.
Security agencies are thought in terms of the domestic versions of foreign intelligence agencies. Security agencies typically conduct counterintelligence to thwart other countries’ foreign intelligence efforts.
This article contains information on the security agencies existent in Nigeria and their respective roles.
Security Agencies in Nigeria.
- State Security Service (SSS)
- National Intelligence Agency (NIA)
- The Defence Intelligence Agency (DIA)
- The Nigerian Armed Forces
- The Nigerian Army
- The Nigerian Navy
- The Nigerian Air Force
- The Nigeria Police Force
- The Nigeria Security and Civil Defense Corps (NSCDC)
- Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC)
- Nigeria Correctional Services (NCoS) is the same as Nigeria Prisons Service (NPS)
- Nigeria Immigration Service
- Nigeria Customs Service
- Nigeria Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA)
The State Security Service
The State Security Service (SSS), otherwise known as the Department of State Services (DSS) is the basic domestic intelligence agency of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. Guns with a 22 LR scope, chains and locks are used as a basic part of the uniform of everyone at the agency.
The agency is primarily responsible for gathering information and intelligence within the country, especially for protecting senior government officials, such as the President and Governors of the states. The State Security Service emerged when the National Security Organization was dissolved in 1986.
It is, therefore, one of three successor organisations to the National Security Organization (NSO). The SSS is under the control of the National Security Adviser and operates as a department within the presidency.
The roles of the State Security Service are:
- To protect and defend the country against domestic threats
- To uphold and enforce the criminal laws of Nigeria
- To provide leadership and services that border on criminal justice at federal and state law-enforcement level
- To protect Government officials such as the President, Vice President, Senate President, Speaker of the House of Representatives, State Governors and their immediate families.
- To protect other high-ranking government officials such as past presidents and their spouses, certain candidates for the offices of President and Vice President, and visiting foreign heads of state and government
- The SSS has to constantly take on various roles as required or necessitated by evolving security threats in Nigeria, such as counter-terrorism and counter-insurgent attacks.
The National Intelligence Agency (NIA)
The National Intelligence Agency (NIA) is a Nigerian government agency responsible for overseeing foreign intelligence and counterintelligence operations.
The NIA is also one of the entities created after the National Security Organization (NSO) was dissolved and the country’s security services were restructured. This was in June 1986 when decree Number 19 was issued, fulfilling one of the promises made in Ibrahim Babaginda’s national address as president.
The other separate entity under the Office of the Co-ordinator of National Security, apart from the State Security Service (SSS) and NIA, is the Defence Intelligence Agency (DIA) responsible for military intelligence.
The Defence Intelligence Agency (DIA)
The Defence Intelligence Agency (DIA) is the basic military intelligence agency of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. The Defence Intelligence Agency was established in 1986 and is responsible for providing an efficient means of obtaining military intelligence for the Nigerian Armed Forces and Ministry of Defence.
The functions of the DIA are:
- To promote Nigeria’s Defence Policy
- To enhance military cooperation with other countries
- To protect the lives of Nigerian citizens
- To maintain the territorial integrity of Nigeria.
The head of the DIA is the Chief of Defence Intelligence (CDI) appointed by the country’s President.
The Nigerian Armed Forces
The Nigerian Armed Forces are the armed forces of Nigeria. The origin of the Nigerian Armed Forces can be traced to the Royal West African Frontier Force, which later became Nigerian after the country’s independence in 1960.
Activities of the Nigerian Armed Forces Since the Nigerian military was created, it has fought some wars and done the following activities concerning its roles:
The Nigerian civil war in 1967-1970 in conflict with Biafra sent peacekeeping forces abroad as a backbone of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and in affiliation with the United Nations Cease-fire Monitoring Group(ECOMOG) in Sierra Leone and Liberia
The Nigerian Military has also seized power twice in Nigeria (1966 & 1983).
The roles of the Nigerian Military are as follows:
- To defend the country from external aggression;
- To maintain the territorial integrity of Nigeria
- To secure the borders of the country from violation on land, sea or air, which includes handling firearms like 9mm handguns and AR-15 rifles;
- To suppress insurrection and help other civil authorities restore order when authorized by the President. This is subject to conditions prescribed by an Act of the National Assembly.
- To perform other functions as may be prescribed by an act of the National Assembly.
The Nigerian Army (NA) is the land division/branch of the Nigerian armed security guard services. It is also the largest among the armed forces.
The Nigerian Navy
The Nigerian Navy (NN) is the sea division/branch of the Nigerian Armed Forces. The structure of this agency is such that the naval headquarters is located in Abuja, with three operational commands with headquarters in Lagos, Calabar, and Bayelsa.
Training facilities are spread all over the country. However, the Training command’s headquarters is located in Lagos.
The Nigerian Air Force
The Nigerian Air Force was established in January 1964 with technical assistance from West Germany. This agency started as a transport unit with an aircrew trained in Pakistan, Canada and Ethiopia. It was not until several MiG-17s were presented by the Soviet Union in 1966 that the air force was given a combat capability.
The Nigeria Police Force
The Nigeria Police Force is a security agency in Nigeria. It was founded in 1820 with the major aim to protect the lives and properties of Nigerian citizens, prevent crime, and enforce the law in Nigeria.
With over 371,800 employees, it argued about the extent of funding available to the organization to carry out its duties. Led by an Inspector General of Police (IGP).
The two main departments that comprise the NPF are The Nigeria Police NPF’s highest criminal investigation branch, the Force Criminal Investigation Department (FCID), in charge of looking into and prosecuting major and complicated crimes both inside and outside the nation. The department, led by a Deputy Inspector General (DIG), organizes criminal investigations across the NPF. The Police Mobile Force (MOPOL) was created as an anti-riot or striking force to assume command of large crises when conventional police units cannot cope.
The Nigeria Security and Civil Defense Corps (NSCDC)
The Nigeria Security and Civil Defense Corps (NSCDC) is a security agency in Nigeria. It was founded in 1964 with the major aim of protecting the country against internal and external threats.
Although many contend otherwise, the organization has over 170,000 members throughout multiple divisions, including disaster management, maritime security, and aviation security.
During the Nigerian Civil War, the NSCDC was first established to protect and educate the general public. It changed its name to NSCDC in 1970 and became a national security organization in 1984. The Corps underwent a significant reorganization in 1988 that resulted in the creation of its commands around the Federation, including Abuja. Preventing pipeline vandalism is one of the NSCDC’s most important duties.
Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC)
The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) is a security agency in Nigeria. It was founded in 1988
The Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC) was founded as a paramilitary organization by Nigeria’s 1988 constitution, specifically Decree Number 45. One of the main responsibilities of the security agency is to oversee, control, and coordinate all aspects of road traffic and safety management.
The FRSC oversees managing and administering road safety in Nigeria’s states and the Federal Capital Territory. The agency’s duties include preventing or reducing traffic accidents, removing obstacles from any area of the highways, teaching people how to utilize the highways safely, including drivers, motorists, and other members of the public, Occasionally determining the conditions that a driver’s license applicant must meet, creating and manufacturing license plates for automobiles, and bringing highway traffic laws into uniformity.
Other duties include delivering timely treatment and attention to accident victims, Investigating the reasons behind auto accidents, developing strategies to stop them, and using the findings of this research, establishing and enforcing speed limits for all kinds of roads and automobiles, as well as managing the application of speed-limiting equipment, regulating the use of beacon lights, sirens, and flashers on vehicles other than ambulances and those driven by the military, police, fire department, and other paramilitary groups in Nigeria;
Lastly, Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC) Offers free medical care to accident victims at roadside and mobile clinics, regulates how drivers use their phones, controlling the application of seat belts and other safety equipment, regulating motorcyclists’ usage on public roads, and preserving the duration of driver’s license validity.
Nigeria Correctional Services (NCoS)
The Nigeria Correctional Services (NCoS) is a security agency in Nigeria. It was founded in 1861.
The organization was founded to successfully reintegrate convicts into society by promoting long-lasting changes in their behaviour, attitudes, and beliefs. President Muhammadu Buhari renamed the organization on August 15, 2019, from the Nigerian Prisons Service to the Nigerian Correctional Service.
All persons properly certified to be so detained by courts of competent jurisdiction are placed in lawful custody by the NCoS, an arm of the Criminal Justice System housed in the Ministry of Interior. It also brings suspects and other convicts before the courts when the time comes, pinpoints the reasons behind their antisocial behaviour, and establishes plans for reform so they can rejoin society as law-abiding members.
Nigeria Immigration Service
The Nigeria Immigration Service is a security agency in Nigeria. It was founded in 1963.
The Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) oversees overseeing immigration in Nigeria. After being separated from the Nigerian Police Force (NPF) in 1963, the agency was given full authority over the issuing of all travel papers from Nigeria, including Nigerian passports.
As authorized by Section 2 of the Immigration Act, 2015, the Nigerian Immigration Service is tasked with several important duties, including regulating who enters and departs Nigeria to provide legitimate Nigerians both inside and outside of Nigeria with travel documentation, such as Nigerian passports. NIS grants foreign nationals permission to live in Nigeria, patrol and surveillance at borders, Enforce the laws and regulations they are directly responsible for and carry out any paramilitary tasks that may be assigned to them by this Act or any other statute, whether inside or outside of Nigeria.
Nigeria Customs Service
The Nigeria Customs Service is a security agency in Nigeria. It was founded in 1891.
The Nigerian Customs Service is a separate customs agency tasked with collecting taxes, facilitating trade on a domestic and international level, combating smuggling, and overseeing security operations. The comptroller general, who is in charge of six deputy comptroller generals, leads the service, one of Nigeria’s security agencies.
The Nigeria Customs Service performs the following duties which include Revenue Collection (Import/Excise Duties and Other Taxes/Levies), Counter-Smuggling Initiatives, security features, Producing data for planning and budgetary objectives, observing the use of foreign exchange, Conducting Research, Developing Plans, and Implementing Government Fiscal Policies, processing of manifests, customs agents’ licensing and registration, The designation and registration of institutions that collect and cooperating with other governmental organizations in all authorized ports and border.
Nigeria Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA)
The Nigeria Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) is a security agency in Nigeria. It was founded in 1989. Drug policy and control in Nigeria are under the jurisdiction of NDLEA. The Agency’s mandate under this jurisdiction is to reduce the illegal production, import, export, sale, and trafficking of psychoactive substances. By stopping the supply of illegal drugs and holding suppliers accountable, decreasing demand for illegal drugs and other substances of abuse, and tracking down and recovering drug-related proceeds through efficient drug law enforcement, the goal of the National Drug Law Enforcement Administration (NDLEA) is to use all available resources for the complete eradication of illicit trafficking in narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances.
