The Senate President, Godswill Akpabio on Monday expressed concern that the current national security landscape has become increasingly complex saying, “We have experienced a series of events that have jolted our sense of stability and challenged the very essence of our national and nationhood.
He added however that, “In the midst of all this, intelligence remains vital. It provides civilian and military leadership with the situations and awareness needed to make critical decisions that will protect our citizens and advance our national interests.
Speaking as the Special Guests of Honour at the 2024 Defence Adviser’s and Attache’s conference in Abuja, Akpabio who was represented by the Minister of Defence, Badaru Abubakar said “As Defence Attaches/Advisers and Officers-in-Charge of State Cells, we are all aware that our challenges are now mostly internal. Hence, the need to bring to bear experience in anticipating emerging threats and indices within your area of coverage, and critically analyse their effects on Nigeria.
“In an increasingly complex world marked by rapid advancement in technology, state and non-state actors are leveraging tools in ways that challenge our traditional understanding of security.
“Therefore, for any country’s defence strategy to succeed, it must recognise the critical role of technology as a force for the flying. I therefore charge our Defence Attaches and Advisers to utilise technology ethically in your diplomatic engagement within the confines of international law.
Expressing the hope that the conference will highlight ways through which Nigeria can leverage technology in enhancing national security, he charged the participants to energise their results to serve our country better in their various capacities adding, “We must pay attention to the global, regional and national challenges.
Minister of State Defence, Dr. Bello Matawalle in his address said, “The time could not be more timely or relevant, as the intelligence landscape continues to evolve at an unprecedented pace. We now have access to a vast volume of data, but with this comes the challenge of extracting meaningful insights from the deluge. To address this, we must adopt new skills, tools, and abilities.
Noting the Agency’s commitment to integrating artificial intelligence, machine learning, and human analytics into its operations, Matawalle said, “These innovations will help process massive data sets and identify patterns that might otherwise remain undetected. This is the future of intelligence, which is the one that empowers us to respond more effectively to emerging security threats.
“As we discuss these crucial topics, let us not lose sight of the broader goals that guide our efforts. We are all committed to the successful realization of Mr. President’s Renewed Hope Agenda, which aims to unblock the full economic potential of our nation. This vision focuses on job creation, access to capital for business of all sizes, inclusivity, strengthening the rule of law, as well as fighting against hunger, poverty, and corruption.
“Those pillars are clearly outlined in the Presidential Renewed Hope Agenda. We, as a nation, are dedicated to this vision. It paints a vivid picture of our collective future and the vital role the Defense Intelligence Agency will play in achieving it.
“We should take pride in the progress we have made, as we continue to seek out new innovative approaches to ensure that we ultimately prevent those who seek to destabilize our nation.
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“We will ensure that you have the necessary tools, logistics, and environment to carry out your duties with the highest degree of success. The security and future of our nation depend on your expertise and dedication, and I am confident that you will not let us down.
In his remarks, the Chief of Defence Intelligence Major General Akomaye Parker Undiandeye disclosed that the nature of threats facing Nigeria including terrorism, kidnapping, Cyber criminality, Oil Theft, Vandalism and violent extremism have been significantly degraded by “the unprecedented activities of our gallant members of the Armed Forces and other security agencies.
He said, “Permit me to report to you that their potency, prevalence, frequency and intensity have been significantly degraded by the unprecedented activities of our gallant members of the Armed Forces and other security agencies.
“This assertion is supported by cogent and verifiable indices across the whole theatres of operations. No doubt, much still has to be done, as the current and emerging threats are complex and multifaceted.
“This is coupled with those emanating from the Sahel Region, as well as the resurgence of coups and climate change challenges across the West African subregion and Africa in general.
“The scenario is further exacerbated by the ongoing Russia/Ukraine war and the complex matrix of the Israeli/Hamas/Hezbollah and Iranian crises.
“However, in all, our mission is clear, and that is, to provide timely, relevant, and accurate intelligence to support Nigeria’s defence and security objectives.
“Therefore, we understand the gravity of the moment and the demands of our time, and we are determined that we will deliver on our mandate. These challenges may be our present, but, they do not have to be our future.
He said the theme of this year’s conference, “Exploring the Role of Technology in Strengthening National and Regional Security” was carefully chosen in acknowledgement of the need for the integration of technology into our intelligence processes.
“We recognize technology as an unprecedented enabler and a leading driver of global competitiveness, that has been harnessed by the armed forces and defence intelligence organisations of many nations towards achieving a comparative advantage over adversaries.
“Particularly, the advent of Artificial Intelligence (AI), Machine Learning (ML), Robotics, Big Data Analytics, and the Internet of Things (IoT) amongst others, has ushered in a wave of changes across the global intelligence landscape, forcing a re-think about the perception of safety and security at individual and national levels.
“In this vein, we are determined to improve how intelligence is collected, processed and disseminated for operations through emerging technologies.
“These technologies would enhance a variety of core collection and processing tasks across intelligence domains to adapt to changing adversary behaviour and operating environment.
Continuing, Undiandeye said, “this year’s CDI Annual Conference is unique, as it was modified to bring together all Nigeria’s 25 Defence Advisers/Attachés accredited to about 91 countries and the 37 OiCs of the State Cells across Nigeria in a week-long maiden joint presentation by Working Groups that preceded this Conference.
“They were carefully selected and grouped, based on the peculiarity and similarities in security challenges prevalent in their respective areas of operations and countries of accreditation.
“The aim is to facilitate the transfer of operational practices and experiences between the officers, and this has put the participants in a better position to make the most of the Conference.
He charged the Defence Advisers and Defence Attaches “to continually leverage opportunities and experiences in your respective countries of accreditation and draw relevant lessons for own national security interests adding, “I am confident that by the end of the Conference, your capacities to source for, identify and facilitate the acquisition of relevant technologies in your respective countries of accreditation for our national security and defence would have been enriched.”
