According to Vice President of Nigeria Professor Yemi Osinbajo, the military and other stakeholders must remain one step ahead of offenders in order to address existing security concerns and upcoming threats.
This was said in a statement made public on Thursday by Laolu Akande, the vice-spokesperson. president’s
Following a presentation by the 30 students from the National Defence College programme, Osinbajo made this statement.
Defense Transformation and National Security: Strategic Options for Nigeria of the Future was the title of the presentation, which was given on Wednesday.
Osinbajo, who participated in the event digitally, stated that the difficulties Nigeria is currently facing demonstrate the necessity to enhance domestic military equipment manufacture.
“It is clear that given current realities in our security situation, there is absolutely every need for us to fast-forward all our plans for the future so that we can be much more effective in dealing with the current threats, and the threats that we will experience as we go into the future,” Osinbajo was quoted as saying.
“One of the most critical areas is the question of local production of military hardware and I think it is a low-hanging fruit when it comes to manufacturing some of the hardware that we will need.
“I think that there is a need, especially now, to really look very closely at local production of our hardware, beginning with armament.
“If we say the local companies should produce some of the mobile platforms like armoured personnel carriers (APCs) and multi-role armoured vehicle (MRAV), if we give them the contracts, they will produce.
“But if we choose to import rather than produce locally, then we will never develop our military-industrial complex.”
The vice president added that nations take advantage of the crisis situations they encounter and advocated for further investment in the Defense Industries Corporation (DICON).
“We mentioned India, Brazil, and even the more developed economies of the world. During the first world war, the second world war, it was these challenges that led to the development of their military-industrial complexes,” he added.
“We have a challenge today. There are so many zones where there are conflicts. Our law enforcement is spread out everywhere.”
The vice president also discussed the necessity of openness in the administration of funds for purchasing gear for security agencies.
“There needs to be more accountability because every time you hear about ‘we not having enough equipment’, but there must be accountability,” he said.
“I will like to see a framework for greater accountability within the ministry of defence that ensures that they are able to account for military expenditure.”
A. Adamu, a colonel, presented on behalf of the course’s 30 participants and suggested that the ministry of defense be reorganized to address rising challenges.
In order to effectively change Nigeria’s defense and security industry, he also emphasized the need to increase the country’s defense manufacturing capacity, leverage technology, and improve collaboration within and across Africa.
Ibrahim Gambari, the president’s chief of staff, Awwal Gambo, the head of the naval staff, and Murtala Bashir, the commandant of the National Defence College, were among the other dignitaries in attendance.
