NOA: Nigerians’ Growing Trust Boosting Victories in War Against Insecurity

Abiola Adigun|Albarka 89.9 FM| Ilorin| November 10 2025

The National Orientation Agency (NOA) says Nigeria is making measurable progress in the fight against insecurity, attributing recent successes to improved citizen engagement, stronger inter-agency collaboration, and the courage of the country’s security forces.
The agency’s Director-General, Mallam Lanre Issa-Onilu, disclosed this on Monday at the October 2025 Joint Security Press Briefing (JSPB) held at the NOA headquarters in Abuja, where security, defence, and intelligence agencies jointly reviewed national security indicators.
Issa-Onilu announced that the agency’s intensified communication campaign had reached over 32 million Nigerians between August and October 2025, leading to increased public vigilance and trust in government efforts.
“Trust is Nigeria’s strongest security asset,” Issa-Onilu said. “When citizens are informed and confident, criminals have no hiding place.”
According to the NOA chief, the Joint Security Communication Framework, activated across all 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory, utilized more than 50 radio and television outlets to deliver public-safety messages to 29 million people, while social media engagement reached another three million citizens.
Fact-checking interventions rose by 40 percent in the last three months, while grassroots community networks expanded from 1,050 to 1,460 clusters, strengthening the local response to misinformation and security threats.
“Misinformation does not just mislead people — it endangers lives,” Issa-Onilu warned. “That is why we are deliberately pushing verified information and strengthening public vigilance.
Data presented at the briefing showed tangible gains in various security metrics. Major suspect arrests increased by 33 percent, from 42 in September to 56 in October, while rescues of abducted victims rose from 19 to 27 within the same period. Fatalities from violent crimes reportedly dropped by 12 percent, from 210 to 185.
Security agencies also carried out seven cross-border operations, up from four in the previous month, leading to the seizure of several arms caches in the North-West and South-East regions.
The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) reported recovering ₦840 million and $919,000 in October alone, alongside 15 completed investigations and five new court cases.
Similarly, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) revealed that it had recovered ₦566.3 billion and $411.6 million between 2023 and 2025, with over 1,500 properties forfeited within two years. At least ₦100 billion of the recovered funds has been channelled into the Students Loan Scheme and Consumer Credit Scheme.
Other agencies reported similar progress:
NDLEA dismantled 14 drug syndicates;
NAFDAC intensified counterfeit drug surveillance;
NIS rescued 76 human-trafficking victims;
FRSC recorded a 12 percent drop in fatal road crashes; and
Nigerian Correctional Service enhanced its rehabilitation and reintegration programmes.
Overall, enforcement actions rose by 28 percent, while convictions increased by 19 percent, from 210 to 251.
Issa-Onilu described these outcomes as proof of the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, which emphasizes transparency, collaboration, and public communication as tools for national stability.
“We are delivering a whole-of-government approach where security, transparency and communication reinforce each other,” the NOA D-G said. “The results are visible, the trend is positive, and the future is hopeful.”
He called on Nigerians to sustain their cooperation with security agencies through intelligence sharing and vigilance.
“Security is everybody’s business. When citizens speak up, criminals are shut down,” he said.
Concluding on a patriotic note, Issa-Onilu reaffirmed NOA’s commitment to deepening citizen trust and participation in the nation’s peacebuilding process.
“Through courage, communication and collective responsibility, we are building a safer Nigeria. Together we build trust. Together we build peace. Together we build our nation,” he declared.