Meet Maj. Gen. Adeyinka Fadewa (Rtd), new special adviser on homeland security

Adeyinka A. Fadewa is a retired Major General of the Nigerian Army and one of the country’s respected security and intelligence experts, with more than three decades of experience in military operations and national security coordination.

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu recently appointed him as Special Adviser on Homeland Security, a move seen as part of efforts to strengthen Nigeria’s internal security system and intelligence-sharing network.

Famadewa built his career around military intelligence, counter-terrorism operations, and strategic security planning. Over the years, he became known for his role in improving cooperation among Nigeria’s security agencies.

One of the major highlights of his career came between 2015 and 2021 when he served as Principal General Staff Officer to the National Security Adviser. During that period, he worked closely on national security coordination and policy implementation at the highest level.

He is also widely recognised for leading efforts that resulted in the creation of the Intelligence Fusion Centre under the Office of the National Security Adviser.

The centre was established to improve collaboration and intelligence sharing among key security agencies such as the Department of State Services, the National Intelligence Agency, the Defence Intelligence Agency, the Nigeria Police Force, and the Armed Forces.

Security experts have described the initiative as a major step toward improving Nigeria’s response to terrorism, banditry, and other security threats through better coordination among agencies.

After retiring from active military service, Famadewa moved into research and policy development.

He became a Senior Research Fellow at the Nigerian Army Resource Centre in Abuja, where his work focused on policing, civil-security relations, and reforms within the security sector.

Beyond his military and intelligence career, he is also an author. He wrote a monograph titled “Policing and National Security in Nigeria,” where he proposed practical solutions for stronger collaboration between security agencies and civil authorities to improve national safety.

With his appointment, the Tinubu administration is bringing into government a seasoned intelligence officer regarded by many as a key figure in Nigeria’s modern security coordination framework.