President Bola Tinubu has approved the appointment of retired Major General Adeyinka Fadewa as Special Adviser on Homeland Security, marking the creation of the role for the first time in Nigeria.
The appointment was announced in a circular signed by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Senator George Akume, and issued on Monday by the Permanent Secretary, General Services Office, Dr Ibrahim Kana.
According to the statement, the appointment underscores the administration’s commitment to strengthening internal security coordination, enhancing intelligence-led operations, and improving inter-agency collaboration in addressing emerging security threats across the country.
The SGF described Fadewa as a highly decorated retired military officer with more than three decades of experience spanning military and intelligence operations, national security strategy, counter-terrorism, and international security diplomacy.
Akume noted that Fadewa played a pivotal role in shaping Nigeria’s intelligence coordination framework during his tenure as Principal General Staff Officer to the National Security Adviser between 2015 and 2021.
“He spearheaded the establishment of the Intelligence Fusion Centre at the Office of the National Security Adviser, creating an integrated multi-agency intelligence platform that brought together the Defence Intelligence Agency, National Intelligence Agency, Department of State Services, the Nigeria Police Force, and the Armed Forces to improve national threat assessment and strategic response coordination,” the statement said.
Following his retirement from military service, Fadewa served as a Senior Research Fellow at the Nigerian Army Resource Centre in Abuja, where he contributed to policy discussions on policing, civil-security cooperation, and national security reforms.
He is also credited with authoring the monograph Policing and National Security in Nigeria, which the Presidency said offers practical frameworks for strengthening collaboration between civil authorities and security agencies.
Akume said President Tinubu expressed confidence that the retired general would play a key role in advancing the administration’s efforts to improve national security through stronger intelligence integration and coordinated homeland security initiatives.
“President Tinubu expressed confidence that the appointment of Major General Fadewa (retd) will further enhance the administration’s efforts toward achieving a safer and more secure Nigeria through improved coordination of homeland security initiatives, intelligence integration, and proactive risk management,” the statement added.
The President also urged the new adviser to deploy his experience and strategic expertise in advancing the administration’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
Nigeria has in recent years faced worsening security challenges, including terrorism, banditry, kidnapping, and other violent crimes across different regions, prompting calls for improved intelligence sharing and stronger coordination among security agencies.
The appointment represents the first time the office of Special Adviser on Homeland Security has been created in the country.
