The administration of President Bola Tinubu has created a new office known as the office of Homeland Security to be headed by a Special Adviser.

President Tinubu appointed retired Major General Adeyinka Famadewa as the first Special Adviser on Homeland Security, creating the role for the first time at Nigeria’s federal level.

The appointment was announced Monday in a statement from the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (OSGF), conveyed through a circular signed by SGF Senator George Akume and issued by Dr Ibrahim Abubakar Kana, Permanent Secretary of the General Services Office.

According to the statement, the appointment “underscores the commitment of the administration of Bola Ahmed Tinubu to strengthening internal security coordination, enhancing intelligence‑driven operations, and deepening inter‑agency collaboration in addressing emerging security threats across the country.”

This role could potentially clash with the National Security Adviser, currently held by Mr. Nuhu Ribadu.

A Departure from Traditional Security Structure

While some states have occasionally created similar positions, no Nigerian president had previously established a dedicated homeland security advisory role within the presidency.

The creation of the office marks a departure from Nigeria’s traditional security architecture, which has historically concentrated advisory functions within the National Security Adviser’s office.

Famadewa brings over three decades of military and intelligence experience to the role. His career spans national security strategy, intelligence fusion, counter‑terrorism operations, and international security diplomacy.

His most consequential assignment was as Principal General Staff Officer to the National Security Adviser between 2015 and 2021.

During that period, he drove the establishment of the Intelligence Fusion Centre, an integrated multi‑agency platform that brought together the Defence Intelligence Agency, National Intelligence Agency, Department of State Services, Nigeria Police Force, and the Armed Forces to sharpen threat assessment and improve strategic response.

Experience And Renewed Hope Agenda

Following retirement, Famadewa became a senior research fellow at the Nigerian Army Resource Centre in Abuja, contributing to policy thinking on policing, civil‑security cooperation, and national security reform.

He is also the author of “Policing and National Security in Nigeria,” a monograph widely cited for offering practical frameworks for civil‑security collaboration.

Tinubu expressed confidence that the appointment would deepen “coordination of homeland security initiatives, intelligence integration, and proactive risk management.”

He urged Famadewa to deploy his wealth of experience in advancing the administration’s Renewed Hope Agenda.