Romanus Ugwu, Abuja
The Department of State Services (DSS), National Institute for Security Service (NISS), will begin a ten-month training programme for senior officials drawn from its personnel, military, security, paramilitary, as well as Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) of governments in its determination to restore sustainable peace and security to the Gulf of Guinea.
The institute is a leading centre for the provision of “competence and enhanced training for middle and top-level managers of security in order to advance the best practice in conflict prevention, mitigation, and resolution.”
The management of the institute noted that in line with the need to underscore the seriousness it attached to dealing with sea piracy and robbery in the region, that NISS chose “Piracy in the Gulf of Guinea: Issues and Challenges for International Trade, National Security and Sustainable Development of Member-States,” as this year’s course topic.
Speaking when it paid a courtesy visit to the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Boss Mustapha, the commandant of the NISS’, Ayodele Adeleke, said that as a “driver” of political and economic activities in the region, it was not out of place for the country to assume the aforementioned responsibility.
“We picked this topic because of the problem that we have on our high sea; how it affects our international trade, our national security, and of course, the development we particularly have in Nigeria, because, Nigeria drives both the political and economy in the region,” Adeleke said.
“This is why we want to get to the root of this matter (piracy), and that is what the participants will be doing during their ten-month stay. This year, as we speak, 18 participants have arrived from other agencies, minus the DSS.
“That means we have the DSS, military, law enforcement agencies, paramilitary, and other regulatory agencies attending.
“Last year, we introduced the concept of having international participants on the programme. And, the success we derived from there, encouraged us to now accept more participants from our neighbouring countries.
“So, when we are talking about security in the region, it will be a collective approach by everybody,” he said.
Responding, the SGF assured the institute of the administration’s support for enduring peace and sustainable development in the region.
Mustapha, who was represented by the Permanent Secretary (Special Services), Office of the SGF, admonished the participants to ensure optimal use of the period of the programme, to evolve fresh and enduring security strategies.
“The unique opportunity of your participation in this course will, no doubt, expose and equip you with modern trends in security operations, administration and management.
“This is the right time for our security personnel to be imbued with the requisite knowledge, considering the various security challenges in the Gulf of Guinea.
“I, therefore, enjoin you to make good use of your time at the institute, to appraise the various security challenges hampering the peace and socio-economic activities in the Gulf of Guinea, and evolve more robust and effective tools for handling them,” the SGF stated.
“The theme of this year’s course is particularly fitting; this is because of the common interest of member-states, to promote peace, security and socio-economic development for the purpose of the transformation into a zone of peace and security.
“Let me assure you of the commitment of the Federal Government to sustainable peace and security in the Gulf of Guinea, Government will continue to work with member-states, to give strong political will and financial contributions to develop close, multifaceted cooperation, and establish relations based on mutual understanding, with a view to creating enabling environment for accelerated development and well-being of the people.”