Chief Of Defence Staff Calls For Collaboration Among Security Agencies Towards Strengthening Armed Forces For National Security And Development
The Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), General Christopher Musa, has called on security agencies and other stakeholders to collaborate with the Armed Forces of Nigeria for enhanced national security and development in the country. The CDS made this call while delivering a lecture to participants of Course 33, National Defence College (NDC) in Abuja. Delivering the lecture titled “Strengthening the Armed Forces of Nigeria for National Security and Development,” the CDS said effective synergy and collaboration will improve national security which will in turn attract massive development in all sectors of governance.
The Defence Boss highlighted some of the security challenges currently facing Nigeria to include terrorism, insurgency, kidnapping, and banditry, adding that interagency cooperation and collaboration remain a key factor in achieving the national security objectives. He enumerated the importance of security enshrined in Section 14 (2) b of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 adding that a nation or country needs to be stable and secure to enable its citizens maintain and sustain their means of livelihood within that nation.
General Musa further mentioned that a secure state guarantees its citizens an enabling environment for growth and improvement free from emerging physical, economic, social, and environmental threats. He further said the Federal Government has adopted several policy frameworks to checkmate the violent activities of non-state actors which include inter agency and civil society platforms to implement Whole-of-Government and whole-of-society approaches, creation of National Centre for the Control of Small Arms and Light weapons, National Cybersecurity Coordination Centre and Multi Agency Anti Kidnap fusion cell.
On the efforts of the Nigerian Armed Forces in combating emerging threats, the CDS said the Armed forces under his command has deployed kinetic and non-kinetic efforts in the ongoing campaign against criminalities which has resulted in the mass surrender of over 121,000 terrorist and their families, reduction in armed banditry and kidnapping, as well as domination of the Joint Operations Areas by Operations FANSAN YAMMA through the conduct of simultaneous dry season operations.
He also added that the Nigerian Air Force has also increased intelligence surveillance and reconnaissance as well as Air Interdictions and Armed Reconnaissance missions. Continuing, General Musa highlighted that his vision for the Armed Forces which is “To Nurture a professional Armed Forces of Nigeria that is People-Centric, capable of meeting its Constitutional Responsibilities in a Joint and Collaborative Environment” is aimed at commanding people oriented Armed Forces in synergy with Nigerian people to achieve national security and development.
The Commandant National Defence College, Rear Admiral Olumuyiwa Olotu thanked the CDS for coming to deliver the lecture in person. He added that the lecture will boost security and form common ground for more synergy among security agencies towards achieving national security and development in the country. The lecture was followed by a robust interactive session between the CDS and the participants.
Along the same lines, the Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lieutenant General Olufemi Oluyede, has called for more asymmetric operations in the fight against enemies of the State. The COAS made this call also when delivering a lecture to the Course 33 participants at NDC. The COAS who was represented by the Director General, Land Forces Simulation Centre, Major General UM Yusuf in a lecture titled “Combating Asymmetric Threats for National Security,” said the Nigerian Army is working assiduously to fulfil its constitutional mandate.
He further outlined some factors mitigating the NA operations, including a lack of adequate and timely information, inadequate combat enablers, inadequate manpower, and lack of local capacity to produce military equipment. Lt Gen Oluyede intimated that the NA is working towards increasing its annual recruitment of personnel, procurement of combat equipment, and massive deployment of special forces in all its operations across the country to achieve the desired objectives.
