CDS COMMENDS NARC FOR IDEAS ON COMPREHENSIVE APPROACH IN TACKLING NATIONAL SECURITY CHALLENGES
The Chief of Defence Staff, Gen. Lucky Irabor has commended the Nigerian Army Resource Centre for ideas on a comprehensive approach in tackling the evolving security challenges confronting the nation.
Gen Irabor made the call at the inauguration of a four-day “Leadership in National Security Course 4/2021’’, organised by the Nigerian Army Resource Centre (NARC) in collaboration with Peace Building Development Consult (PBDC), at Conference Hall C, TY Buratai Block of the Centre on Monday in Abuja.
The Chief of Defence Staff, who was represented by the Director, Defence Special Operations Forces, Major-General Sunday Igbinomwanhia, noted that comprehensive approach could only be achieved if everyone at different agencies knew their responsibilities and how to galvanise their policies.
He said that officers should be able to modernise their existing policies and doctrines to suit the ever changing security situations in the country.
According to him, the threat to security is mutating. He pointed out that a few years ago it was ordinary armed robbery and today it has mutated to kidnapping, terrorism and other kinds of crime and it keeps mutating.
“So, we in the security sector should also be in the forefront of being ahead of the mutation of the threats to security of our nation,” he said.
“National security is a primary responsibility. All hands must be on deck to achieve it.”
“It is nice that the Centre deemed it fit to continue to groom senior level career personnel and senior officers in the various agencies to continue to have the breeding and grooming of those who are supposed to be in leadership positions in our national security apparatus.
“This course is also aimed at actually grooming you as leaders to take the responsibility of galvanising your agencies to play the role that is required of you.
“The stage we have gotten to now is no longer an issue of one agency conducting all aspects of security,” he said.
General Irabor commended the Centre for organising the course and urged the participants to take the course seriously so as to be well informed to contribute their quota to efforts in addressing the nation’s security challenges.
The Director-General of NARC, retired Major-General Garba Wahab, stressed the need for more collaboration with government agencies, private sector and stakeholders in addressing the security challenges confronting the country.
Wahab said the course was designed for mid-level career and senior professionals in government and private establishments, Civil Society Organisations (CSOs), researchers, security stakeholders and international organisations.
According to him, the programme is aimed at conceptualising national security, the construction of its wider use and application using current trends and the challenges in both hard and soft security.
He said the course also covered the national security architecture, Nigerian’s interest and impact on regional security.
“The essence of understanding various roles is one of the reasons we organised this course because if you can see people from different agencies who understand what they are meant to do, it becomes easier,” he said.
