Directors of the Department of State Services (DSS) from the North-West states have converged on Kaduna to review prevailing security challenges and develop new strategies to enhance intelligence coordination and joint operations against banditry, terrorism, and other threats in the region.
The zonal security conference, which also drew participants from the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Niger, and Plateau States, provided a platform to harmonize intelligence sharing and reinforce inter-agency synergy across state boundaries.
Declaring the meeting open, Governor Uba Sani of Kaduna State, represented by the Commissioner for Internal Security and Home Affairs, Sule Shuaibu (SAN), said intelligence-led collaboration remains the most effective means of tackling security threats in the North-West and beyond.
The Governor described the DSS as “the invisible backbone of Nigeria’s internal stability,” noting that the agency has played a crucial role in safeguarding democracy and preempting national security risks. “This conference offers an opportunity for reflection, coordination, and strategic renewal,” he said.
He explained that Kaduna State has consistently prioritized intelligence-driven approaches by partnering closely with the DSS and other security agencies to identify and neutralize threats ranging from violent extremism to misinformation. Governor Sani also emphasized the need for modern security management to move beyond traditional intelligence gathering, urging investments in data analysis, inter-agency trust, and technology-driven systems.
The Emir of Zazzau, Ambassador Ahmed Nuhu Bamalli, who attended the event, commended the DSS for strengthening cooperation with traditional institutions to resolve local disputes and security challenges. He revealed that through DSS-assisted mediation, the Zazzau Emirate had reduced court congestion by over 2,000 cases in the last two years.
The monarch further praised the agency’s screening of district and village heads, saying the process had helped weed out unfit traditional officeholders. “It is better to remove them early than allow them to exploit their people,” he added.
Representing the General Officer Commanding, 1 Division Nigerian Army, Major General Mohammed Wase, the Garrison Commander, Brigadier General Mohammed Kana, said consistent intelligence support from the DSS had significantly aided the Army’s successes in neutralizing bandits and terrorists across the North-West.
In his remarks, Kaduna State Director of the DSS, Mr. Hakeem Abiola, said the zonal meeting was aimed at improving operational synergy among security agencies. He highlighted the service’s success under the leadership of Director-General Oluwatosin Adeola Ajayi, noting several kinetic and non-kinetic operations that have deepened peace and trust at the grassroots.
Abiola pointed to the Kaduna Peace Model, a community-led initiative institutionalized by the state government as a major factor in reducing kidnapping and banditry along key routes such as the Kaduna–Abuja, Kaduna–Kachia, and Birnin Gwari highways.
He disclosed that the DSS, working with other agencies, had intercepted arms shipments, rescued kidnap victims, and foiled terror plots across the region in the past year. He called for the establishment of a regional security forum involving security chiefs, traditional leaders, and political actors to tackle cross-border crimes, stressing that “as threats evolve, our capacity and tools must evolve too.”
