NDC Alumni Champion Socio-Economic Approach To National Security
The 14th National Security Seminar of the Alumni Association of the National Defence College (AANDEC) has once again demonstrated the College’s strategic commitment to shaping national discourse on pressing security challenges. Declaring the event open, the First Lady of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, emphasised that combating hunger and poverty is crucial to achieving lasting national security, food sufficiency, and sustainable development.
Speaking through the Honourable Minister of Defence, Dr. Mohammed Badaru Abubakar, the First Lady acknowledged AANDEC’s consistent efforts in addressing national security concerns through well-curated seminars. She noted that hunger and poverty remain major drivers of insecurity in Nigeria and must be urgently addressed as part of a holistic national security strategy. “Insecurity thrives in societies where large segments of the population are impoverished and unable to meet their basic needs. A hungry man, as they say, is an angry man. When people are deprived, they are more susceptible to criminal activities,” she stated. The First Lady called on Nigerians to support food security initiatives and align with the Federal Government’s Renewed Hope Agenda under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
She further highlighted the efforts of her office in empowering women and promoting human capital development to enhance agricultural productivity, which she affirmed is already yielding positive outcomes. Commending the Armed Forces and other security agencies, Senator Tinubu stressed that kinetic operations alone are insufficient to resolve the nation’s security challenges without tackling the socio-economic factors that fuel them. “Our security forces are gallant, but their efforts must be complemented by socio-economic strategies that address the root causes of insecurity,” she said. The First Lady also paid tribute to fallen heroes of the Armed Forces, assuring the families they left behind of continued government support.
Delivering his goodwill message, the Chief of Defence Staff, General Christopher Gwabin Musa, represented by Rear Admiral Ibrahim Shetima, lauded AANDEC’s partnership with the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA), describing the seminar as an opportunity for strategic reflection. He called for increased synergy among security stakeholders and emphasised that hunger and poverty are not just social issues but strategic threats to national security.
Also speaking, the National Security Adviser, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, represented by Major General Peter Malla, applauded the initiative and encouraged participants to deliberate productively and generate actionable policy recommendations.
In his remarks, the Commandant of the NDC, Rear Admiral Olumuyiwa Olotu, represented by Deputy Commandant, Major General Kelvin Ukandu, described the seminar’s theme, “Combating Hunger and Poverty for Sustainable Peace and Development in Nigeria,” as both timely and relevant. He affirmed the College’s continued support for AANDEC’s initiatives and recognised the Association’s role as a critical platform for national policy engagement.
Earlier, AANDEC President, Air Commodore Darlington Abdullahi (Rtd), explained that the seminar serves as a vital avenue for exchanging ideas that will enhance Nigeria’s security landscape.
The event was attended by representatives of the Service Chiefs, heads of security agencies, national presidents of DEPOWA, NAOWA, NOWA, NAFOWA, and POWA, as well as retired military leaders, members of AANDEC, NIPSS, and other stakeholders.
