By Maryam Ahmadu-Suka

Stakeholders in Nigeria’s security sector have called for stronger inter-agency collaboration and coordinated communication to combat insecurity, disinformation and emerging cyber threats.

They made the call at the Second National Symposium on Crisis Communication organised by the Centre for Crisis Communication (CCC) in Kaduna on Tuesday.

The theme for the symposium is “Inter-agency Collaboration, Public Trust and Cyber Threat Management in Crisis Communication”.

The stakeholders said conflicting official statements, delayed responses and the spread of manipulated digital content could undermine public confidence, complicate security operations and threaten national stability.

They also warned that artificial intelligence-generated videos, audio recordings and images could be exploited to mislead the public, particularly ahead of the 2027 general elections.

Speaking at the event, Maj.-Gen. Chris Olukolade (rtd.), Chairman of CCC, said communication had become a critical component of national security, public safety and the preservation of public trust.

Olukolade said security challenges were no longer confined to physical battlefields, as misinformation and manipulated narratives increasingly shaped public perceptions of security operations.

He stressed that delayed or contradictory official information created a vacuum that could be exploited by rumour mongers and individuals seeking to undermine public confidence in government institutions.

According to him, effective crisis communication requires preparedness, transparency, accountability and cooperation among relevant institutions.

Olukolade cited estimates by DataReportal indicating that Nigeria had approximately 109 million internet users at the end of 2025, alongside a report by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime that Nigeria lost an estimated N1.1 trillion to cybercrime between 2017 and 2023.

He said the figures underscored the need for security agencies and other stakeholders to strengthen their capacity to manage information and respond to emerging digital threats.

The CCC chairman announced the unveiling of the Nigerian Journal of Crisis Communication, which he said would provide research, practical insights and case studies to support practitioners and policymakers.

He also disclosed that the Crisis Communication Hub established after the centre’s inaugural symposium in November 2025 had received the 2026 Golden World Award of the International Public Relations Association.

Olukolade said the centre was committed to promoting a coordinated response to crises, urging institutions to avoid working in isolation.

“No institution should be so protective of its territory that it becomes an obstacle to collective progress,” he said.

He expressed concern that disinformation, deepfakes and impersonation could be deployed to weaken confidence in democratic institutions during the 2027 elections.

Similarly, the Minister of Defence, retired Gen. Christopher Musa represented by retired Maj.-Gen. Khalifa Ibrahim, said Nigeria’s security challenges required a coordinated approach involving government institutions, security agencies and the public.

Ibrahim identified insurgency in the North-East, kidnapping in the North-West and separatist agitations in other parts of the country as challenges requiring sustained collaboration.

He said no single security agency could effectively address the country’s complex security situation without support from other institutions.

The minister’s representative called for improved strategic communication to ensure that verified information reached the public promptly and consistently during emergencies.

Representing the Chief of Defence Staff, Brig.-Gen. Murtala Abu said the symposium’s theme reflected the realities of Nigeria’s contemporary security environment.

Abu said terrorism, insurgency, kidnapping, cybercrime, oil theft and communal conflicts transcended institutional boundaries and demanded cooperation across government and society.

He stressed that collaboration among security agencies would remain incomplete without effective coordination of their public communication.

“Operational collaboration without communication collaboration is incomplete,” he said.

Abu said security agencies needed to share verified information, harmonise their messages and present a consistent account of government actions to the public.

He described public trust as a critical asset in crisis management, noting that even well-prepared messages could fail if citizens lacked confidence in the institutions delivering them.

Abu said the military recognised Nigerians as important stakeholders and would continue to communicate security challenges without concealing realities or unnecessarily amplifying public fear.

On cyber threats, he warned that the growing use of artificial intelligence had made it easier to produce convincing fake videos, audio recordings and images purporting to show military operations that never occurred.

He called for the adoption of digital forensic tools, rapid fact-checking mechanisms and artificial intelligence-assisted detection systems, alongside stronger engagement with media organisations and technology platforms.

In his keynote address, delivered on behalf of Dr Kabir Adamu, Chief Executive Officer of Beacon Security Consulting, Mr. Samuel Arwan said Nigeria’s homeland security depended partly on a coordinated and trusted crisis communication system.

Arwan said the speed, credibility and source of information released during security incidents could determine whether citizens complied with safety instructions, cooperated with security agencies or resorted to rumours and panic.

He said government institutions must balance the public’s right to information with the need to protect classified information and sensitive security operations.

Arwan warned that conflicting casualty figures and contradictory statements from government agencies could create the impression that authorities were disorganised or withholding information.

He attributed such inconsistencies to unclear responsibilities among agencies, slow approval processes and concerns about the disclosure of sensitive operational details.

He proposed the establishment of clear communication protocols identifying the lead agency for different types of emergencies and determining which official should address the public first.

Arwan also urged authorities to take early warning signs of violence seriously, noting that major security crises could be preceded by prolonged periods of propaganda, threats and escalating tensions.

He cautioned against ethnic profiling in the fight against banditry, insisting that criminal activities should be addressed without shielding suspects on the basis of religion or ethnicity.

According to him, communication alone cannot resolve Nigeria’s security challenges, but effective security operations require messages that the public considers credible.

Declaring the symposium open on behalf of Gov. Uba Sani of Kaduna State, the Commissioner for Information and Culture, Alhaji Ahmed Maiyaki, said public confidence was as important as operational efforts in the fight against insecurity.

Maiyaki said misinformation could threaten peaceful coexistence, undermine democratic institutions and weaken public cooperation with security agencies.

He said the Kaduna Government had adopted a non-kinetic approach to peacebuilding, known as the Kaduna Peace Model, which emphasised dialogue, community participation, intelligence sharing and early warning.

According to him, sustainable peace cannot be achieved through military and law enforcement operations alone, but requires the involvement of communities and other relevant stakeholders.

Maiyaki said credible communication should include the timely correction of errors, adding that silence from authorities could create an information vacuum that encourages speculation.

He urged participants to develop practical recommendations that would strengthen public trust, improve coordination among institutions and enhance Nigeria’s capacity to respond to security emergencies.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the symposium brought together security officials, government representatives and other stakeholders to deliberate on strategies for improving crisis communication and managing emerging threats in the information space. (NAN)

Edited by Yakubu Uba