Nigerian Security Agencies get Applauds for Combating Security Challenges

 

The Nigerian President, Mr. Bola Ahmad Tinubu has applauded the effort of the Armed Forces, the various joint task forces and security agencies for bringing security challenges under control across the nation.

The Nigerian President, Bola Ahmad Tinubu made this known during Chief of Defence Staff Joint Task Force Commanders Conference 2025 in Abuja, Nigeria’s capital with the theme “Enhancing Jointness Across all Theatres of Operation”,

Represented by the Minister of Defence, Mohammed Badaru, the president said this has been instrumental in ensuring peace and stability within the country.

The President said that “the conference would provide a unique forum for all service chiefs and commanders of joint task forces to evolve their operations, re-strategize, and chart better ways for more effective performance”.

He assured that he prioritised internal security and would remain committed to supporting the Armed Forces and other security and paramilitary agencies in discharging assigned tasks and responsibilities.

The Chairman Senate Committee on Defence Senator Ahmad Lawal says there is a need for cooperation, partnership, and synergy between all the services in the armed forces, the police, and other paramilitary agencies of government.

According to him, it has always been complained in the past that sharing of intelligence sometimes is not done properly, or the agencies or services may not be working very closely as would be expected or desired.

He noted that they have improved on that and have come a long way. But there is much more to do in terms of partnership between the services and other security agencies.

“If we are talking about joint task forces, joint operations, and others, we should also go down to how we acquire our equipment, our platforms. I believe that, at the moment, the process, to me, is flawed. The CDS or the Chief of Defense Staff or the Headquarters and the Ministry of Defense should be in the full picture of our procurement process by the services”, he added.

“Nothing should be taken away from the services by the Armed Forces Coordination. Because in a situation where every service may go ahead to make its own procurement, we may suffer from duplication and even standardization. I believe that we should be looking at that directly”, he said.

The Nigerian Chief of Defence Staff, General Christopher Musa said the Joint Task Force Commanders Conference provides a critical platform for them to reflect on their collective efforts, assess their progress, and strategize for the challenges ahead.

He noted that it is an opportunity to strengthen their collaboration, share insights, and reaffirm our commitment to the defence of the great nation.

The Defence Chief commended the unwavering dedication and sacrifices of the officers and men across the various Joint Task Forces.

He said “their relentless efforts in combating insurgency, terrorism, banditry, and other security threats have not gone unnoticed”.

According to him, the successes recorded in recent operations are a testament to the professionalism, resilience, and commitment to duty.

“You have demonstrated that through unity of purpose and effective collaboration, we can achieve remarkable results”, he said.

He noted that while they celebrate these achievements, they must remain vigilant.

“The security landscape continues to evolve, presenting new and complex challenges. Evolving threats, such as the employment of armed drones, transnational crimes, and the proliferation of improvised explosive devices, demand innovative and adaptive responses”, he added.

The Former Chief of Defence Staff, 13th Air Chief Marshal Olushayi Petinrin, in his lecture said “the aim is to discuss a way forward for the emphasis of regularity in the whole-of-society approach to counter-terrorism and counter-insurgency operations”.

He noted that the world-of-society approach to national security requires effective coordination and measurement of effectiveness of all the several staples for it to yield maximum value.

He said that “commanders adhere to policy guidelines which are already clearly spread out in the country’s national defense policy, national security strategy, and other national governments. For example, equipment, aircraft, personnel, arms and ammo allocated to the Joint Task Force automatically come under the operational control of the Chief of Defense Staff and his Joint Task Force Commanders. Participations in the past where aircraft were assigned to a task force because to use it would become a problem”.

He added that they should be the prerogative of the Joint Task Force Commander as to how any equipment attached to that operation is used.

The Chief of Defence Operations and the Chairman Organising Committee, Major General Emeka Onumajuru in his welcome remarks, emphasized the importance of strategic evaluation in addressing national security challenges.

He said that “discussions will focus on historical security trends, manpower allocation, resource management, and the impact of regional conflicts, particularly in the Sahel and Lake Chad Basin, on Nigeria’s security operations”.

According to him, the presence of the Multinational Joint Task Force Commander from N’Djamena underscores the recognition of sub-regional security issues and the need for a coordinated response.

The conference is expected to facilitate critical discussions on improving military effectiveness, enhancing inter-agency collaboration, and strengthening strategic guidance for ongoing and future operations.

Participants include service chiefs, key defense personnel, and representatives from various ministries and agencies.