The Technical Adviser to the Bayelsa State Governor on Communication and Strategy, High Chief Abednego Don Evarada, has urged the Federal Government to integrate community-based policing into Nigeria’s security framework to address insurgency, banditry and other security challenges.
Evarada made the call while delivering a keynote address at the 2026 Feast of Barracuda, organised by the National Association of Seadogs (NAS), Oxbow Marino Deck, in Yenagoa.
Speaking on the theme, “Security Challenges and National Security: Evaluating the Effectiveness of the Nigerian Security Architecture,” he said Nigeria’s centralised security system faces significant challenges in responding to threats across a large and diverse population.
According to Evarada, stronger coordination between security agencies and local communities would improve intelligence gathering, early threat detection and emergency response. He said community policing models adopted in other countries have demonstrated the value of partnerships between law enforcement agencies and citizens.“Security must transform from a government responsibility into a collective responsibility,” he said.
Earlier, the Steerer of Oxbow Marino Deck, High Chief Douglas Etulankimor Sampson-Eteli, said the Feast of Barracuda is an annual event of the National Association of Seadogs (Pyrates Confraternity), founded in 1952 by Nobel Laureate Prof. Wole Soyinka and others. He said the event combines public lectures, debates, advocacy and humanitarian activities, including the donation of books and medical supplies to schools and orphanages, to promote civic engagement and social development.
