Nigeria’s Minister of Defence, Retired Major-General Bashir Magashi, has said that it is time to employ technology to remove the mystique surrounding the woodlands that are exploited as safe havens by criminals around the country.
Magashi made these remarks on Tuesday in Abuja at the beginning of the 12th National Security Seminar organised by the Alumni Association of the National Defence College (AANDEC)
The minister stated that it was impossible for Nigeria to continue with business as usual, given the quick speed of technical advancement and the accompanying changes in the nature of warfare, which had an effect on the means and techniques of military conflict.
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He said that the Defence Industries Corporation of Nigeria (DICON) has achieved significant progress in the production of drones, light weapons, trucks and Mine-Resistant Ambush Protected (MRAP) vehicles.
According to him, these efforts and other projects of a similar kind need to be fast tracked through the speedy adoption of suitable government policies that are aimed towards the technical growth of the security sector.
According to Magashi, the different government security agencies and the military forces have formed research and development centres, as well as cyber security organisations, which have developed commendable projects and products.
“In this regard, the Defence Research Development Bureau (DRDB), the Defence Space Administration and other technology-driven agencies’ efforts to improve security operations are commendable steps in the right direction.
“Our security forces have performed well in international operations and at home, they can do even better by improving their level of performance with the use of technology, especially since criminals and terrorists are applying technology in their nefarious activities.”
Magashi further explained that technology frequently makes it possible to have a better knowledge of the surrounding environment. He expressed the importance of ridding Nigeria’s woodlands of criminals as well as the need to ensure the nation takes her rightful seat on the global stage of security and peace affairs.
“Improved situational awareness is often made possible by technology. It is time to demystify the forests being a haven for criminals.
“It is time to dominate cyberspace and deny the cyber criminals of its illegal use without detection and arrests.
“It is time to ensure that the security agencies can effectively collaborate and support each other in defending the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Nigeria.
“It is also time we occupy our rightful place in regional and global peace and security architecture through the application of technology in our defence and security sectors,” he said.
Magashi lauded the alumni organisation for its ability to leverage the immense human resources of highly-trained senior military commanders in order to cultivate an environment conducive to productive discussions regarding growth.
According to him, the use of technology in the management of threats to national security was a worldwide phenomenon that nations regarded seriously. As a result, these governments were making large expenditures in research, technology, and inventions.
Maj.-Gen. Emmanuel Ndagi, speaking on behalf of National Security Adviser (NSA) retired Maj.-Gen. Babagana Monguno, stated that ongoing technical developments in combat had resulted in significantly increased capabilities in the twenty-first century.
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On the peculiarities of Nigeria’s travails, Monguno said the challenges confronting the nation are disproportionate, creating a greater demand for technology. This he explained makes it paramount to have digital surveillance and precise targeting in some cases, in order to decrease collateral issues to the bare minimum.
The NSA stated that technology continues to be a vital force multiplier in today’s security scene, and that the seminar was a critical step towards consolidating the gains made by Nigerian security services to preserve the nation’s peace and security.
He asked AANDEC to continue its efforts to perform all aspects of research into current national security concerns and provide effective suggestions.