ENUGU, Nigeria (VOICE OF NAIJA)- President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has created the office of Special Adviser on Homeland Security, appointing retired Major General Adeyinka Famadewa as the pioneer occupant of the position.
The appointment, announced on Monday, marks the first time a Nigerian president has established a dedicated homeland security advisory role within the Presidency, signaling a major shift in the country’s internal security coordination framework.
The development was disclosed in a statement issued by the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, OSGF, through a circular signed by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, George Akume, and released by the Permanent Secretary, General Services Office, Dr Ibrahim Abubakar Kana.
According to the statement, the new office was created to strengthen internal security coordination, improve intelligence-led operations, and deepen collaboration among security agencies in tackling emerging threats across the country.
The Presidency said the move reflects Tinubu’s commitment to reinforcing Nigeria’s security architecture amid rising security challenges nationwide.
The creation of the office also represents a departure from the country’s traditional security structure, where strategic advisory responsibilities have largely revolved around the Office of the National Security Adviser, NSA.
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Although a few state governments had occasionally created similar positions at sub-national levels, no previous administration at the federal level established a standalone homeland security advisory office.
Famadewa, who brings over three decades of military and intelligence experience into the role, is expected to coordinate homeland security initiatives, intelligence integration, and proactive threat management strategies.
One of his most notable assignments during active service was his tenure as Principal General Staff Officer to the National Security Adviser at the Office of the National Security Adviser, ONSA, between 2015 and 2021.
During that period, he reportedly spearheaded the establishment of the Intelligence Fusion Centre, a multi-agency intelligence coordination platform involving the Defence Intelligence Agency, National Intelligence Agency, Department of State Services, Nigeria Police Force, and the Armed Forces.
The platform was designed to improve national threat assessment and strengthen coordinated security responses across agencies.
Following his retirement from military service, Famadewa joined the Nigerian Army Resource Centre in Abuja as a Senior Research Fellow, where he contributed to policy discussions on policing, national security reforms, and civil-security relations.
He is also credited with authoring a monograph titled “Policing and National Security in Nigeria,” which has been widely referenced for its recommendations on civil-security collaboration.
President Tinubu expressed confidence that the retired general would deploy his experience to support the administration’s Renewed Hope Agenda, particularly in advancing intelligence coordination and internal security reforms.