The Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), General Christopher Musa has called on all stakeholders in the national security architecture to adopt the whole-of-society approach to solving the current security challenges in the country. He stated this today, Friday 23 February 2024 while delivering a lecture at the 34th Convocation Ceremony of the University of Port Harcourt (UNIPORT) titled: “National Security in Contemporary Security Environment: Entrenching Whole of Society Approach”.
According to the CDS, “a whole-of-society approach to problem solving entails both formal and informal institution pursuing a generalized agreement across societies about policy objectives and how these can be achieved. It encompasses civil societies, working jointly with public and private sectors to arrive at a common solution to complex problems.” He therefore pointed out that applying this method has become necessary to seriously address the security challenges in the country especially because “Nigeria is not insulated from the generic factors and catalogue of threats to security internationally. Again, not only have non-state actors enjoyed more visibility in shaping the security landscape, global trends indicate increasing complexity, ambiguity, volatility and uncertainty in the security environment.”
While identifying some of the major threats to national security, the CDS said crude oil theft and pipeline vandalism, illegal refining activities and environmental degradation in Niger Delta as well as impacts on global climate change has greatly endangered security in Nigeria. Also, he said illegal unreported fishing activities and attack on national cyberspace has affected Nigeria National Security as well.
General Musa equally asserted that illiteracy, unemployment, population explosion, porous borders and uncontrolled migration, poor governance and week laws are the bane of internal threat to security in Nigeria.
He added that ” Security is much as the teacher’s business as it is for students, parents, traders and other individuals across all societal strata. He warned against putting effective security squarely on the shoulder of the uniformed men alone, as he seeks for reconsideration.
Further to the foregoing, the CDS stated that, “globally, the security of lives and property is the foremost responsibility of the government “. He added that a nation’s security encompasses a combination of military and non- military activities to eliminate threats to a nation’s core values. He therefore maintained that the Armed Forces of Nigeria national security imperative is to protect Nigeria and Nigerians from attack and other external dangers.
Seeking for a way forward to addressing the lingering security gaps, the CDS called for a national reorientation, addressing complaints of oppression and unjust treatment to groups and individuals, maintenance of justice, fairness and equity as well as bridging the noticeable gab in governance amongst other things. He also stressed the need for a good working relationship among stakeholders in national security architecture as a means to solving our security problems.
