Nigeria officials advocate intelligence-led security strategies

Nigerian government officials are calling for a strategic shift toward intelligence-led and technology-driven operations to combat evolving national security threats. Speaking at the Defence Correspondents Association of Nigeria (DECAN) conference in Abuja, Minister of Defence Christopher Musa emphasized that traditional kinetic military actions, such as troop deployments and territory recovery, are no longer sufficient to address complex threats from terrorist groups and criminal networks.

Musa noted that modern adversaries exploit information, technology, and financial systems, requiring a response that combines combat operations with advanced technological capabilities and inter-agency cooperation.

Minister of Information and National Orientation Mohammed Idris supported this approach, linking it to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s ‘Renewed Hope Agenda’. Idris highlighted the importance of modernizing the Armed Forces, improving surveillance, and fostering public trust through community cooperation. He also noted that the President has directed a comprehensive National Threat Assessment and a five-year Strategic Defence Operations Plan to guide resource deployment and coordination.