The Minister of Defence, General Christopher Musa (Rtd), has called on the graduating participants of the Executive Intelligence Management Course (EIMC) 18 of the National Institute for Security Studies (NISS) to take the lead in driving Nigeria’s security transformation through professionalism, synergy, and intelligence-led operations.
Speaking as the Chairman of the graduation ceremony held in Abuja, Nigeria’s capital, the Minister conveyed the warm congratulations of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, commending the Institute for its unwavering commitment to building strategic capacity for Nigeria and sister African nations. He described NISS as a premier citadel of security and intelligence scholarship whose contributions continue to shape the nation’s security architecture.
Addressing the graduands, Gen. Musa noted that they had completed a rigorous and intellectually demanding course designed to sharpen their analytical abilities, expand their strategic perspectives, and prepare them for executive leadership in a world marked by volatile, uncertain, complex, and ambiguous threats.
He emphasised that contemporary security challenges transcend traditional warfare, pointing to the rise of asymmetric attacks, hybrid threats, cyber warfare, organised crime, economic sabotage, and the weaponisation of information.
In this dynamic environment, he said, intelligence has become the “bedrock of proactive national strategy,” calling on the graduands to apply foresight, synthesis, and strategic thinking in their service.
The Minister stressed that managing intelligence, not merely collecting it, is central to ensuring that national decision-makers receive the clarity necessary to maintain the country’s safety, stability, and prosperity.
He urged them to uphold professionalism, integrity, and the highest ethical standards, reminding them that intelligence work demands accountability and courage, especially in speaking truth to power.
Inter-agency Collaboration
Gen. Musa highlighted the critical necessity of inter-agency collaboration, insisting that Nigeria can no longer afford siloed responses to security threats. He charged the new graduates to become “apostles of synergy,” leveraging the networks they built during the course to strengthen operational cooperation across Nigeria’s security ecosystem.
“The effectiveness of our Armed Forces and other security agencies is multiplied by the quality of intelligence you provide,” he said, describing their graduation as a strategic investment in Nigeria’s future leadership and security framework.
He also expressed gratitude to the Commandant and staff of NISS for moulding what he described as “sharp and capable minds,” while appreciating the families and institutions that supported the participants through their intensive academic journey.
In his closing remarks, Gen. Musa told the EIMC 18 graduands that their certificate represents more than an academic milestone, it is a call to higher national service. He urged them to return to their duty posts as innovators, change agents, and strategic thinkers who will help build a more secure, peaceful, and prosperous Nigeria.
“The nation expects much from you,” he declared. “Go forth and justify the confidence reposed in you.”
The ceremony concluded with commendations for the National Institute for Security Studies and prayers for the Federal Republic of Nigeria.