‘Military, police can’t fight insecurity alone’ — Akoh urges Tinubu to Pass Peace Corps Bill

The National Commandant of the Peace Corps of Nigeria (PCN), Dr. Dickson Ameh Akoh, has called on President Bola Tinubu to formally integrate the organisation into the ongoing restructuring of the country’s security architecture.

Akoh made the appeal on Friday while addressing journalists in Abuja on the state of the nation, arguing that the Peace Corps’ nationwide presence and over 187,000 personnel could significantly complement conventional security agencies through non-kinetic operations.

He said Nigeria’s worsening insecurity requires a broader security framework that goes beyond relying solely on the military and police, urging the Federal Government to adopt a multi-tiered security model similar to those of the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada and Brazil.

According to him, national security should be viewed as an expansive ecosystem requiring specialised auxiliary agencies rather than placing the burden entirely on a few heavily armed formations.

“Our teeming members are uniquely positioned to optimise the nation’s security architecture through crucial, non-kinetic interventions,” Akoh said.

He explained that Peace Corps personnel could serve as a grassroots intelligence network by gathering and transmitting security information to conventional security agencies and the Office of the National Security Adviser, enabling prompt action against emerging threats.

The commandant added that integrating the corps into the national security framework would also ease the burden on the military and police by taking responsibility for neighbourhood watch, school safety and the protection of other soft targets.

Akoh further said the organisation would help channel Nigeria’s vast youth population into structured civic service, describing the corps as a platform for profiling, mentoring and preparing young Nigerians for future enlistment into military and paramilitary agencies.

He commended President Tinubu for initiating reforms aimed at restructuring the country’s security architecture, describing the effort as timely and capable of strengthening national security.

Akoh also appealed to the leadership of the Senate to expedite the passage of the Peace Corps Establishment Bill, expressing optimism that presidential assent would provide millions of young Nigerians with greater opportunities to contribute to national peace and security.