By Sumaila Ogbaje
The Chief of Defense Staff (CDS), Gen. Christopher Musa, says interagency cooperation between the military and other security agencies remains a key factor in achieving the national security objectives.
Musa said this while delivering a paper titled, “Strengthening the Armed Forces of Nigeria for National Security and Development,” to participants of Course 33 of the National Defense College (NDC), on Tuesday in Abuja.
He said that effective synergy and collaboration between security agencies and other stakeholders, with the Armed Forces of Nigeria would lead to improved national security, which would in turn attract massive development in all sectors of governance.
Musa said that a nation must be stable and secure to enable its citizens maintain and sustain their means of livelihood as enshrined in the Constitution.
According to him, a secure state guarantees its citizens an enabling environment for growth and improvement free from emerging physical, economic, social, and environmental threats.
“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.
“The creation of National Centre for the Control of Small Arms and Light weapons, National Cybersecurity Coordination Centre and Multi Agency Anti Kidnap fusion cell are also part of the measures,” he said.
The defense chief said the armed forces under his command had deployed kinetic and non-kinetic efforts in the ongoing campaign against criminalities, which had resulted in the mass surrender of over 121,000 terrorists and their families.
He added that there had been reduction in armed banditry and kidnapping, while the military had continued to dominate the operations areas through the conduct of simultaneous dry season operations.
He said that the Nigerian Air Force had also increased intelligence surveillance and reconnaissance as well as air interdictions and armed reconnaissance missions.
Musa said that his vision for the armed forces was aimed at commanding people oriented armed forces in synergy with Nigerian people to achieve national security and development.
The Commandant of NDC, Rear Adm. Olumuyiwa Olotu, said the lecture would boost security and form common ground for more synergy among security agencies towards achieving national security and development in the country.
Olotu thanked the CDS for the lecture that elicited discussions from participants and discussants. (NAN
