FG commences review of defence policy against terrorism - Gusau

By Ehi Ekhator, Naija Center News

The Federal Government has started a review of the National Defence Policy to chck the threat of terrorism, the Minister of Defence, Lt. Gen. Gusau Mohammed (Rtd) disclosed yesterday.

He made this known while declaring the 2014 Annual Conference of Defence Attache open held at Defence Intelligence Agency (DIA) Abuja recently open.

The Honourable Minister of Defence (HMOD) Lt Gen Aliyu Gusau Mohammed

Gusau said that Defence Intelligence Agency has a duty to help bridge the intelligence gaps and knowledge of the terrorist groups, the foreign source of support, training, weapons, funding and the flow of foreign fighters.

According to the Minister, re-engineering the Nigeria Defence Attache System towards enhanced National Security is imperative to cope with the threat of terrorism. He said the foreign fighters with shared destructive tendencies and objectives contributed a troubling dimension to the scourge of terrorism in the country which ranged from loss of lives and properties, kidnapping and several thousands of people displaced by violence.

The Minister noted that despite efforts by the Federal Government to resolve the conflict and bring peace and harmony to the country, the prevalence of insecurity shows that much needs to be done to put an end to this challenge. “I am optimistic that the problem of insecurity in our country is surmountable with collective efforts of our security agencies and the Defence Advisers Systems” he said.

The importance of the Conference, Gusau said, was the avenue it provided for the Defence Intelligence Agency to evaluate its performance to improve operations to set goals, design policy and develop strategy for effectiveness of the Adviser Attaché System.

In his own remark, the Chief of Defence Intelligence, Rear Admiral Godwin Edmond Okoi said the increasing devastation caused by terrorists requires a continuous reappraisal of operational methods of intelligence gathering to stem emerging security threats. Okoi added that Defence Intelligence Agency has began capacity building, acquisition of equipment and construction of structures that will improve intelligence gathering to meet current security challenges in the country.

He used the opportunity to thank the National Security Adviser (NSA), Honourable Minister of Defence Security Agencies and the Press for their contributions and supports.

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FG commences review of defence policy against terrorism - Gusau