President Bola Tinubu has broken new ground in Nigeria’s security architecture, appointing retired Major General Adeyinka Famadewa as Special Adviser on Homeland Security — the first time the role has existed at the federal level.
The appointment was announced on Monday 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. It marks a deliberate shift toward tighter internal security coordination and intelligence-driven operations.
According to the SGF, the move “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.”
While some states have experimented with similar positions, no previous Nigerian president had established a dedicated homeland security advisory office in the presidency. The role has historically fallen under the purview of the National Security Adviser.
Famadewa brings over three decades of military and intelligence experience to the job. He served as Principal General Staff Officer to the National Security Adviser from 2015 to 2021, where he was instrumental in reshaping Nigeria’s intelligence coordination framework.
He spearheaded the establishment of the Intelligence Fusion Centre at the Office of the National Security Adviser, creating a multi-agency platform that integrated the Defence Intelligence Agency, National Intelligence Agency, Department of State Services, Nigeria Police Force, and the Armed Forces for unified threat assessment and response.
After retiring, Famadewa served as a Senior Research Fellow at the Nigerian Army Resource Centre in Abuja, contributing to policy discussions on policing, civil-security cooperation, and national security reform. He authored the widely cited monograph _Policing and National Security in Nigeria_.
The SGF described him as “a highly decorated retired general with over three decades of distinguished military and intelligence service spanning national security strategy, intelligence fusion, counter-terrorism operations, and international security diplomacy.”
President Tinubu said he expects Famadewa to deploy his experience to advance the administration’s Renewed Hope Agenda on security, improve intelligence integration, and support proactive risk management across federal agencies.
The appointment signals a more structured approach to domestic security as Nigeria grapples with terrorism, banditry, kidnapping, and cyber threats. For Famadewa, it’s a return to the center of national security strategy — this time in a pioneering civilian advisory role.