The third FSSAM meeting of 2026 reaffirmed the importance of a shared approach to Nigeria’s security. We must now carry that approach into the places where people live and work. Its success will be evident in institutions that respond more effectively, communities that can participate with confidence, and improvements in safety that citizens can recognise in their daily lives.
The third Federal and States Security Administrators’ Meeting (FSSAM) of 2026, held in Yola, Adamawa State, from 14 to 16 October, offered an important opportunity to examine how Nigeria can translate national security priorities into practical action in states and communities. Its central lesson is that effective security depends on institutions working together and on citizens having confidence in those institutions. Agreements reached around a conference table acquire meaning when they improve the everyday safety of the people.
Convened through the Special Services Office (SSO) in the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, FSSAM provides a platform for examining security concerns across jurisdictions and strengthening cooperation between federal and state officials. The Yola meeting brought these responsibilities into focus at a time when the country must sustain responses to violent threats, while addressing the social and governance conditions that shape public security.
The meeting reinforces a practical responsibility: we must help citizens understand security initiatives, create credible channels through which communities can raise concerns, and ensure that public feedback informs decisions. Communication is most useful when it connects government action with the experiences and expectations of the people.
In his goodwill message, delivered by the Special Adviser on Governance and Subnational Matters, National Security Adviser Nuhu Ribadu emphasised coordination, trust and structured engagement across all levels of government. He pointed to the monthly Joint Intelligence Board (JIB) meetings and the Forum of National and Subnational Security Officials