President Bola Tinubu has ordered the Special Adviser on Homeland Security, Major General Adeyinka A. Famadewa (rtd), to prepare a comprehensive national threat assessment and also develop a five-year strategic defence operations plan aimed at strengthening coordination among Nigeria’s defence, intelligence and security agencies.
This was made known on Wednesday in a statement by Bayo Onanuga, the special adviser to the president on information and strategy, stating that President Tinubu gave the directive at the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting on Wednesday at the State House, Abuja, adding that Adeyinka would coordinate the nine-member committee and also provide secretariat support.
The statement reads, “Other members of the committee are the National Security Adviser, Malam Nuhu Ribadu; the Minister of Defence, General Christopher Musa (rtd); the Minister of State for Defence, Alhaji Bello Muhammad Matawalle; the Chief of Defence Staff, General Olufemi Oluyede; the Chief of Army Staff, Lt. General Waidi Shaibu; the Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Sunday Kelvin Aneke; and the Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Idi Abba.
“The Director-General of the Department of State Service, Tosin Ajayi, and the Director-General of the National Intelligence Agency, Ambassador Muhammed Muhammed, are also members of the committee.
“Under the presidential directive, the committee may also consult or co-opt representatives of other ministries, departments and agencies where their participation is required.
“President Tinubu directed the committee to commence work immediately and submit the completed National Threat Assessment and Strategic Defence Operations Plan for his consideration and approval within 90 days.
“Once approved, the plan will serve as the principal framework for coordinating military and defence operations over the medium term.
“It will also provide the basis for preparing a corresponding multi-year defence expenditure and procurement plan, ensuring that resources are directed towards agreed operational priorities and critical national security requirements.”
The President stated that the recent security successes, such as the rescue of students and teachers kidnapped in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State, demonstrated the importance of enhanced synergy among security, defence and intelligence agencies, especially “with a clear objective and the necessary intelligence".