Obaigbena Calls for ‘Whole-of-Government’ Approach to Solving National Security Challenges

•Salutes Armed Forces, recalls detention by Abacha-Omenka’s DMI

•Recommends 25% apiece of budget spending on national security, education, health  

•Seeks tax cuts across board in Nigeria

Emmanuel Addeh in Abuja and George Okoh in Makurdi

Chairman/Editor-in-Chief of THISDAY Newspapers and Founder, Arise News Channel, Prince Nduka Obaigbena, yesterday called for a “whole-of-government” approach to tackling Nigeria’s national security challenges.

Obaigbena made the call at the third quarter 2024 media chat organised by the Nigerian Army Civil-Military Cooperation programme in Makurdi, where he was the special guest of honour.

Essentially, a whole-of-government approach refers to the combined activities of different government ministries, departments, and agencies deployed to provide a common solution to particular societal problems or issues.

The media mogul stated, “The world we face today, we have a national satellite company. We have all sorts of agencies in science and technology. Are they working with the armed forces? Have we integrated our satellite capabilities with our war in the North-east or the North-west?

“Do we know and monitor bandits in Kaduna? We spend so much money on national security. We spend so much money on satellite technology. We spend so much money across the board.

“We have to look at national security as a whole-of-government approach. Have the entire infrastructure, tech infrastructure combined with the army. And the army has to also produce its own weapons.

“We used to have a vibrant defence industry. Is this still on? Why are we importing bullets? Why are we importing arms? AK-47 and the likes. So we have to integrate our whole defence infrastructure, which are technology infrastructure, to keep us safe and protect Nigeria from the new world order.”

Obaigbena praised the Nigerian military for their sacrifices for the country, but also advised that the armed forces should get their priorities right in the course of their service to the nation.

He underscored the need for the military to desist from involving itself in civil matters, especially in the arrest of protesters, arguing that if there is good governance, protests will not happen.

He stated, “We should not take it (their sacrifices) for granted. We should not take it for granted and we should work with them. Thank you very much for sacrificing yourselves for Nigeria. But you have to do more.

“Stop getting involved with arresting protesters, arrest kidnappers. Good governance will stop protests, but kidnappers have to face the wrath of the law. Stop getting involved with protecting election riggers. We need proper elections for governments to be held accountable.”

The media entrepreneur also called for proper funding of the country’s armed forces, recommending a quarter of the nation’s annual budgets for the purpose.

“We have to ensure that our armed forces are properly funded. I call for at least 25 per cent of our national budget for national security and the armed forces,” he said.

Aside the 25 per cent spending on defence, Obaigbena maintained that enough attention should be paid to health and education, especially in the north, to ensure a sustainable future for the children of that region.

He said, “If I say 25 per cent of our national budget should go to the armed forces, then 25 per cent should also go to education, especially in the north, so that we can get our people educated.

“Furthermore, another 25 per cent should also go for health and poverty alleviation. We have to support the most vulnerable in our midst. And then we have to reduce taxes across the board and allow people’s monies in their hands so that they can grow their own food, their own transport and be able to sort themselves out.”

He highlighted the need to protect the media, recalling his encounter with then Col. Frank Omenka, who under the Sani Abacha dictatorship ran him out of town, but turned to seek his help when he got into trouble with the succeeding administration.

Obaigbena stated, “My last momentous encounter with the Nigerian army was as a guest of the security group headed by Col. Frank Omenka of the Department of Military Intelligence (DMI).

“I remember THISDAY had made some publications against the Sani Abacha government. I was invited and I was interrogated by five generals with guns on the table. After the interrogation, the report or the tape was asked for by Gen. Abacha and they did it a second or third time.

“I later went on exile. On my return from exile, in my house, I just heard knocks in my kitchen and I saw my then friend, still my brother, and he said, please, I have a friend to see you. Who was crawling behind my kitchen? It was Col. Frank Omenka. He said ‘Nduka, please help me, Bamaiyi and co want to kill me’.

“I said, ‘Col. Omenka, if you had killed the media, will you come to us for help today?’ However, we assisted him as a media. So what I’m saying is, the media is your friend. The media is there to protect everybody.

“So those who find themselves in power and feel they can kill the media, when they leave power, they will need the media. The media is a friend of the armed forces of the people of Nigeria. And the media will continue to work with the armed forces of the people of Nigeria.”

Given Nigeria’s challenges, and the happenings in countries like Sudan, Ethiopia, Somalia, Egypt, Central African Republic, DRC, Rwanda, Angola, Mozambique, Libya, and Nigeria’s neighbours in Niger, Burkina Faso, Guinea and the rest, Obaigbena stated that the Nigerian armed forces had done well.

 Chief of Army Staff, Lt.Gen. Taoreed Lagbaja, urged media practitioners to uphold responsibility, accuracy and fairness in reporting the activities of the Nigerian Army.

Lagbaja appealed to media practitioners to balance their reporting with national security interests, as well as the public’s right to information, and avoid spreading misinformation or inflammatory content that could undermine national unity and security.

The army chief, who was represented by Commander, 4 SF Command, Doma,  Maj. Gen. Hilary Nzan, said  as the Nigerian Army continued to confront the numerous security challenges facing the country, it was crucial for all stakeholders to actively participate in efforts to secure Nigeria.

He highlighted some of the recent successes of the Nigerian Army, saying, “These include the neutralisation of several terrorists and their leaders, the rescue of some abducted Nigerians, and the restoration of socioeconomic activities in affected communities, leading to the return of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) to their ancestral homes.

“Our efforts have also significantly boosted crude oil production, while enhancing food security through special patrols and escort duties that enable farmers to cultivate their crops.

“In response to recent human-made and natural disasters in parts of the country, we activated our emergency response capabilities.”