The Office of the National Security Adviser has announced the establishment of the Directorate of State Liaison following approval from President Bola Tinubu.

The directorate is to be headed by Lami Chinade, appointed as its pioneer director.

This is contained in a statement from the ONSA on Tuesday in Abuja.

The newly created directorate is part of President Tinubu’s efforts to enhance proactive coordination on national security matters with states and local government areas.

It outlined that the directorate would be responsible for overseeing the implementation and follow-up of joint decisions between state governors and the ONSA.

The ONSA said, “Key functions will include maintaining a comprehensive database of contact persons at the state and local levels and developing community engagement programmes in collaboration with federal ministries, departments, and agencies.  The directorate will play a critical role in ensuring smooth coordination of national security policies at the state and local levels.

“It will also focus on conflict resolution, identifying areas for improvement, and fostering cooperation to enhance national security service delivery across all states. Additionally, the DSL will act as a liaison between state authorities and the federal government to ensure clear communication, effective collaboration, and alignment of security priorities.’’

ONSA further emphasised that the creation of the DSL was driven by the need to monitor and assess the impact of national security policies on state governance and local development.

It added that the directorate was also designed to facilitate dialogue and negotiations to address potential conflicts between states and national security entities.

“As director, Ms Chinade will provide strategic leadership and oversight for the directorate, working closely with key stakeholders at the state and local levels, including civil society organisations. Her role will also involve deploying monitoring mechanisms for data collection and evaluation of national security programmes, providing regular updates to the National Security Adviser. A lawyer by profession, Ms Chinade brings over 30 years of experience across diverse industries.

“Her previous roles include head of the Monitoring Unit and Senior Legal Officer at the National Human Rights Commission, as well as the chief operating officer in the downstream operations of a leading petroleum resources company,” it added. 

(NAN)