‘No More Silos’: Defence Chief Orders Intelligence Merger to Crush Insurgency

​ABUJA — In a high-stakes move to overhaul Nigeria’s fractured security architecture, the Minister of Defence, retired Gen. Christopher Musa, has issued a stern directive to the nation’s security and intelligence agencies: end “silo operations” immediately or risk losing the war against asymmetric threats.

​Speaking Thursday during a strategic summit with the heads of the intelligence community in Abuja, Gen. Musa revealed that despite individual successes, the lack of a unified intelligence front has diluted the impact of military operations against bandits, terrorists, and kidnappers.

​The Blind Spot of Asymmetric Warfare

​The Minister’s call for “integrated intelligence” comes at a critical juncture as the U.S. Embassy recently authorized the departure of non-emergency staff from Abuja, citing a deteriorating security climate. Gen. Musa argued that in a landscape where enemies are often indistinguishable from civilians, fragmented data is a recipe for failure.

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​“Asymmetric warfare is largely a warfare of intelligence. Without it, we operate blindly,” Musa stated. “Unlike conventional warfare, threats are often unidentified, and even those close to us may be potential adversaries. It is high time we integrate these efforts so that all actions are coordinated and impactful.”

​Presidential Mandate for ‘Jointness’

​The General emphasized that this shift is not merely a suggestion but a direct mandate from the Presidency. He stressed that “jointness” must become the new standard, ensuring that human and technical intelligence gathered by one agency is instantly accessible to troops in the field, regardless of their service branch.

​“Every service and agency is important; none is irrelevant,” the Minister noted, dismissing inter-agency rivalry as a hindrance to national safety.

​A Call for Civic Intelligence

​Beyond technical surveillance, the Defence chief made a passionate plea for “Human Intelligence” (HUMINT), urging Nigerians to act as the eyes and ears of the military. He noted that timely, credible information from local communities is often the missing link in neutralizing threats before they manifest into attacks.

​To facilitate this, the Ministry of Defence pledged to provide the necessary infrastructure to streamline communication channels between the public, the intelligence community, and frontline commanders.