Armed Forces and Tackling Nigeria's Security Challenges

FG: Armed Forces Being Reshaped For Emerging Global Security Challenges

By Senator Iroegbu

The Federal Government has stated that the Nigerian Armed Forces is currently reshaping its global security landscape to meet the democratization process, globalization, economic liberalization and technological challenges.

This was disclosed Tuesday by the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Defence, Prof. Nicholas Damachi, while presenting a paper at the fifth course on defence and security management being organized for middle cadre officers at National Defence College (NDC), Abuja.

Damachi said that the threat of global terrorism and the incident of armed conflicts across the world have had an impact on defence transformation all over the world, especially Nigeria.

According to him, this is creating strong requirement for those operating within the defence and security sectors to update themselves with the latest strategic and operational level of development and doctrines.

He noted that the implications of this is that defence policies are no longer motivated solely by consideration of threats and risks but are increasingly subject to the effects of these global trends.

He said: "These trends also affect the security environment and the capabilities for redesigning and transforming the defence sector.

"The country is essentially faced with the challenge of having modern, efficient and comprehensive defence and security systems modeled in line with best practices around the world.

"The Nigerian government has over the years place premium on security and since coming to power, President Goodluck Jonathan has taken seriously the whole idea of transforming the defence and security sector and has put in place several initiatives towards this."

Earlier, the Commandant, NDC, Rear Admiral Thomas Lokoson, said that the course is expected to impact on the participant the skills to exercise their independent and critical judgment in matters related to defence and security management.

Lokoson added that the skills will help them develop a higher reasoning and interpretation of defence and security policies for their operational duties.