National Security: FG Reads Riot Act to Defence, Intelligence Agencies

• Country faced with biggest national security matrix ever

Senator Iroegbu in Abuja

The Federal Government has charged the defence, security and intelligence agencies to either come up with novel, actionable and effective strategies on sustainable solutions to the burgeoning security challenges in the country or be sanctioned.

The Minister of Defence, Brig-Gen. Muhammad Mansur Dan-Ali (rtd), gave the riot act on Monday while declaring open the 2016 Defence Advisers/Attaches (DAs) Annual Conference.

It is tagged: “Harnessing the Potentials of Defence Attache System for improved National Security in Nigeria”, at the Defence Intelligence Agency (DIA) Headquarters, Abuja.

To this end, Dan-Ali warned the DAs and concerned authorities that the Federal Government would no longer tolerate any form of shoddiness and lack of creativity in handling of national security matters.

He noted that Nigeria is currently facing its biggest security challenges.

He therefore called for innovation, noting: “Given the complexity and uncertainty of today’s security environment, our defence architecture and thought process would have to significantly provide sustainable military and political outcomes.

“Henceforth, when we send Defence Advisers on assignments and they don’t bring a concrete report, we will throw it back at them. They should know what is happening at their environment, advise us and we will then take it from there. I believe that with this type of conference they will tighten up and have a better understanding of what’s required of them,” he warned.

The minister stated that the conference will provide the opportunity “to generate meaningful dialogue to determine assessment of strategic landscape…and the prospect to harness the best ideas and innovations for a comprehensive improvement to our joint readiness and the capability to project decisive force against our adversaries”.