President Bola Tinubu has appointed retired Major General Adeyinka Fadewa as Special Adviser on Homeland Security, creating the position for the first time at the federal level in Nigeria.
The appointment was announced on Monday in a statement from the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation.
According to the statement, the appointment was conveyed in a circular signed by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator George Akume, and issued by the Permanent Secretary, General Services Office, Dr Ibrahim Abubakar Kana.
The Federal Government said the creation of the new office underscores President Tinubu’s commitment to strengthening internal security coordination, improving intelligence-led operations and deepening collaboration among security agencies in responding to emerging threats across the country.
The statement said 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.”
Although some states have, at different times, created similar positions at the sub-national level, no previous Nigerian president had established a dedicated homeland security advisory role within the Presidency.
The development marks a major shift in Nigeria’s traditional security architecture, where advisory functions have largely been concentrated within the Office of the National Security Adviser.
Fadewa is expected to bring more than three decades of military and intelligence experience to the new role.
His career covers national security strategy, intelligence fusion, counter-terrorism operations and international security diplomacy.
One of his most significant assignments was his service as Principal General Staff Officer to the National Security Adviser at the Office of the National Security Adviser between 2015 and 2021.
During that period, he helped drive the establishment of the Intelligence Fusion Centre, an integrated multi-agency intelligence platform involving the Defence Intelligence Agency, National Intelligence Agency, Department of State Services, Nigeria Police Force and the Armed Forces.
The platform was designed to improve national threat assessment and strengthen strategic response coordination among security agencies.
After retiring from active military service, Fadewa became a Senior Research Fellow at the Nigerian Army Resource Centre in Abuja, where he continued to contribute to policy discussions on policing, civil-security cooperation and national security reform.
He is also the author of a monograph titled “Policing and National Security in Nigeria,” which is regarded for offering practical frameworks for civil-security collaboration.
President Tinubu expressed confidence that Fadewa’s appointment would strengthen the coordination of homeland security initiatives, intelligence integration and proactive risk management.
He urged the retired general to deploy his experience in support of the administration’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
