From Molly Kilete, Abuja
The 2021 Defence Advisers/Attachee’s conference has opened in Abuja with a charge on military diplomats to forge understanding and cooperation with their respective countries of accreditation to stem emerging threats and the insecurity bedevilling the country.
The defence advisers have also been charged to continue to be in support of the security, political, economic and diplomatic initiatives of the Nigerian Government.
Minister of Defence Major General Bashir Magashi (retd) gave the charge while declaring the conference open in Abuja.
Gen Magashi, while noting that the prevalence of the insecurity has continued to endanger not just the country’s national security and economic growth, but food security, which he said portends a new dimension of threat, called on the security authorities to work as a to stem the menace, saying ‘food security has been adversely affected with the attendant rise in the prices of foodstuff across the country.
‘A look at the security challenges in Nigeria today reveals new dimensions with increasing agitations for secession. In the North East, attacks by Boko Haram Terrorists (BH) and the Islamic State in West Africa Province (ISWAP) continue to pose serious security threats in Nigeria. In the North-West and North-Central Zones, the activities of armed bandits, armed herders/militia attacks and kidnappers are prevalent. The littoral states in the South-South region are plagued with illegal oil bunkering, piracy and militancy while the South-East is challenged with secessionist activities of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB). The South-West region is equally faced with secessionist inclination driven by ethnic agitators as well as occasional tension between herders and farmers. Distinguishing the threats Nigeria is currently facing and understanding their socio-geographic context is pivotal for adapting appropriate and lasting counter-measures.
‘Regrettably, the prevalence of these threats has continued to endanger not only national security and economic growth but food security as well. In particular, food security has been adversely affected by the attendant rise in the prices of foodstuff across the country which portends a new dimension of threat. This makes it imperative for the various security agencies in the country to continue to collaborate to tackle these menaces in order to create an enabling atmosphere for economic activities to thrive and to attract Foreign Direct Investment. It also means that the security agencies must explore all avenues within their respective systems to come up with innovative ways of identifying and confronting the challenges facing us as a nation.’
Continuing, the minister said: ‘There is no doubt that the Defence Advisers/Attachés system has crucial roles to play in this regard by forging understanding and cooperation with the security and defence architectures in their respective countries of accreditation. It is for this reason that | find the theme of the 2021 Defence Advisers/Attachés Annual Conference which is ‘Advancing Counterterrorism Efforts through Enhanced Inter-Agency Cooperation: A Whole of Government Approach’ as timely and very apt. This conference provides participants with the opportunity to | appraise the shared vision of stemming the tide of insecurity. through the integrated efforts of all government entities which is the objective of the whole of government approach. It is therefore imperative that you take advantage of the opportunities provided by your vantage positions to harness the potentials of the Defence Attaché System in order to effectively contribute to the country’s security efforts.’
While calling on the participants to evolve strategies towards enhancing Nigeria’s counterterrorism efforts, the minister said ‘the recent achievements of the military and security agencies by taking the fight from all angles to the doorsteps of the adversaries is reassuring.
‘Already, in the North East region alone, over 14,000 Boko Haram Terrorists have surrendered. Meanwhile, to support the country’s surge approach to fighting banditry, the Nigerian Armed Forces have recruited over 17,000 personnel. Furthermore, Mr President has also approved the recruitment of 10,000 police officers annually by the Nigeria Police Force over the next six years.
‘The launch of the Integrated National Security and Waterways Protection Infrastructure, the Deep Blue Project are also visible efforts in confronting the myriad of security challenges that we have. All these efforts underscore the Government’s_ political will to confront Nigeria’s numerous challenges. The Government is also exploring dialogue and mediation techniques in tackling other emerging threats such as the agitations by some ethnic nationalities and groups. This is also in tandem with the policy of this administration to entrench all-inclusiveness and good governance as part of democratic ideals.’
Also speaking, the National Security Adviser, Major General Babagana Mungono, while noting that Nigeria has been adopting both kinetic and non-kinetic approaches in dealing with the security challenges in the country, said the approaches has yielded tremendous results.
‘The Federal Government also lays emphasis on the integrated approach, which recognises the roles of ministries, departments and agencies as well as the entire society in tackling our security challenges.
‘This involves the participation of critical stakeholders from different sectors of the society, such as religious actors, youths, teachers, women, civil society, media, law enforcement as well as security and intelligence agencies. This collaboration is essential for building networks of peace that can create safe and resilient communities across Nigeria.’
Earlier in his address, the Chief of Defence Intelligence, Major General Adebayo, said the theme for this year’s conference – “Advancing Counterterrorism Efforts through Enhanced Inter-Agency Cooperation: A Whole of Government Approach” – was carefully chosen to “guide our deliberations and contributions to the current efforts of the Federal Government towards attaining a whole of government approach in our counter-terrorism strategy and create an atmosphere for sustainable national security and development.’
He called on the participants to address the issues squarely and deliberate with open minds to ensure that the objectives of the conference are achieved.