Governor Sheriff Oborevwori of Delta has urged security agencies to adopt intelligence-led and preventive approaches to tackle Nigeria’s evolving security challenges.
Oborevwori made the call on Monday in Asaba, when participants of the Advanced Intelligence Officers’ Course 16/2026, Defence Intelligence College, Karu, Abuja, paid him a courtesy visit.
Represented by his Deputy, Mr Monday Onyeme, the governor said Nigeria needed to move decisively from reactive security management to preventive and intelligence-led governance.
He said intelligence should not merely be gathered but translated into timely decisions, effective action and measurable security outcomes to strengthen national resilience and protect lives.
“I urge you, as future senior intelligence and security leaders, to use the knowledge and experiences gained from this tour to strengthen national resilience and promote greater cooperation among security institutions,” he said.
Oborevwori said contemporary security threats required collaborative engagement rather than isolated responses.
The governor urged security agencies and stakeholders to sustain cooperation and provide operational support.
He said Delta had demonstrated this approach through ‘Operation Delta Sweep’, established to strengthen joint security operations, reduce crime and protect lives and property across the state.
The governor said regular State Security Council meetings also provided platforms for government and security agencies to assess emerging threats, share intelligence and coordinate appropriate responses.
He said the state established the Office of the Special Adviser on Peace Building and Conflict Resolution to prevent conflicts, promote reconciliation and foster peaceful coexistence.
According to him, the Office of the Special Adviser on Intelligence Gathering also strengthens grassroots intelligence and proactive crime prevention across communities in the state.
“Delta recognises the importance of intelligence from the grassroots, which plays a vital role in providing early-warning information that supports timely security intervention,” he said.
Oborevwori said the state recently convened a security summit themed: “Security: A Collective Responsibility”, bringing stakeholders together to unite against terrorism and other forms of criminality.
He said the state was also developing a Data and Investment Intelligence Hub, following the 2026 State Economic and Investment Summit to support evidence-based decision-making.
According to him, the hub will facilitate the collection, integration and analysis of reliable data for economic planning, investment promotion and security management.
He said Delta also pursued regional security cooperation through platforms such as the Niger Delta Governors’ Forum to address cross-border threats affecting communities and critical assets.
Oborevwori identified kidnapping, cultism, illegal bunkering and maritime insecurity among the threats requiring stronger regional cooperation and intelligence-sharing among neighbouring states and security agencies.
Earlier, the Team Leader, Commodore Usman Bugaje, said Delta was selected for the study tour because of its strategic importance to Nigeria’s economy.
Bugaje said participants considered the state’s oil and gas industry, offshore operations, transportation corridors, crude oil movement and other economic activities in determining the choice.
“We also considered the various security agencies operating in the state,” he said, adding that participants were in Delta to examine its peculiar security challenges.
He said the exercise aligned with the course theme, “Strengthening National Resilience Through Integrated Intelligence, Multi-Agency Coordination and Regional Security Cooperation.”
Bugaje said the participants would interact with residents and stakeholders,vwhile appreciating the state government’s efforts to bring security agencies and traditional institutions together for peace.
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