President Muhammadu Buhari has identified the country’s security to include Boko Haram insurgency, banditry, militancy, kidnapping and activities of separatists and armed militias among others, insisting that his administration shall be employing all elements of national power in ensuring security.
He said that Nigeria has in the last 12 years been under the siege of massive security threats, assuring that his government is determined to reverse the ugly trend through promotion of national security and development.
President Buhari said this at the Armed Forces Command and Staff College (AFCSC), Jaji, Kaduna State, on Friday as the Special Guest of Honour during the graduation ceremony of Senior Course 43, which had 226 officers of the Nigerian Armed Forces and those of eight other African countries as participants.
Buhari, who was represented by the Minister of Defence, Maj-General Bashir Magashi(rtd), said the response of the Armed Forces to the Boko Haram insurgency, banditry, militancy, kidnapping and others has been commendable.
He assured that the Federal Government will continue to provide the required guidance and support to ensure that the desired end state is achieved.
According to him, most security challenges facing the world today are both asymmetric and trans-border in nature, thus the need for continous synergy among all African countries to effectively combat the security challenges.
“Bear in mind that most security challenges facing the world today are both asymmetric and trans-border in nature, involving mainly non-state actors in different sub-regions and regions.
“The West African sub-region and indeed our beloved continent of Africa are not immune to these threats.
“Combating these prevalent security threats effectively demands that African countries continue to work together at all levels; be it tactical, operational and strategic.
“Take for instance the collaboration of the Armed Forces of Nigeria, Cameroun, Niger Republic and Chad in a multinational operation to combat the Boko Haram Insurgency in the Lake Chad region.
The synergy achieved in operating together must have no doubt been enhanced by an understanding of the doctrines of the cooperating forces.
“This occasion provides me another opportunity to briefly reflect on the state of the Nigerian nation, particularly regarding national security.
“The last 12 years have been particularly challenging for our nation, considering the plethora of security threats that have besieged the country.
“Our government is poised to promote national security and development, as well as remain committed to promoting a vision of secure, safe, just, peaceful, prosperous and strong nation.
“Indeed, we shall be employing all elements of our national power in ensuring security, a just society, peaceful coexistence, national unity and sustainable development while promoting our good standing abroad,” he said.
Buhari told the graduating officers that the nation has made a lot of investment into their training up to the present stage of their respective careers, adding that Nigeria expects the very best from them in terms of loyalty, commitment to duty and service to their fatherland.
Commandant of AFCSC, AVM Ebenezer Alade,had earlier said that the Course which has 10 international officers from Tanzania, Chad, Togo, Niger, Burkina Faso, Ghana, Cameroun, Democratic Republic of Congo and the Gambia, as participants, assembled on the August 5, 2020.
The 229 students comprise 105 Nigerian Army officers, 69 Nigerian Navy officers, and 35 Nigerian Air Force officers, 10 non-military students from Defence Intelligence Agency, the Nigeria Police, Department of State Services, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, National Intelligence Agency and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission.
Culled from the Vanguard News Nigeria
