Buhari Inaugurates National Security Strategy 2019

President Muhammadu Buhari on Wednesday inaugurated the reviewed National Security Strategy 2019 with a commitment to enhancing the social security of Nigerians as a means of improving their physical security.

Speaking at the event shortly before the commencement of the meeting of the Federal Executive Council, the president said the numerous security challenges confronting the nation made it necessary to come up with an articulated, comprehensive and coordinated responses that involved all segments of the society.

He expressed delight that the National Security Strategy 2019 was a product of painstaking and rigorous deliberations by relevant stakeholders committed with the task of safeguarding the nation from internal and external threats.

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According to him, the strategy represents a thoughtful, strategic and practical expression of his administration’s resolve to make Nigeria safe for development, investment, growth, and prosperity for everybody.

“As we continue to work towards completely ending insurgency in the northeast and laying the foundation of sustainable peace and development in the region, we are also addressing conflicts between farmers and herders, banditry and various forms of security challenges.

”In addition to security, economic diversification, and fighting corruption, our administration priorities for the second term include pursuing improvements in education, healthcare, and agriculture.

”These priorities reflect our commitment to enhancing the social security of Nigerians as a means of improving their physical security.

”I’m happy to observe that the National Security Strategy reflects this thinking with an emphasis on overall human security.

”I’m pleased also to know that the strategy emerged after a long time consultative and participatory process that elicited contributions primarily from our security, intelligence, law enforcement agencies, and the armed forces,” he said.

The president further revealed that stakeholders such as ministries, departments and agencies and civil society were also contributory to this strategy.

According to President Buhari, security is about bottom to top operation, failure at any level will lead to a serious lapse in overall security.

He, therefore, called on all stakeholders including heads of ministries, departments, and agencies to see themselves as partners in the onerous task of securing “our people and to demonstrate unity of purpose in implementing this strategy”.

The President also commended the National Security Adviser (NSA), retired Maj. Gen. Babagana Monguno, and his team for delivering on the document.

He said: “The task that now lies before us is the execution of the strategy and the achievement of a safer and more secure nation. It is a task to which this administration remains fully and unreservedly committed.”

Earlier in his remarks, the National Security Adviser said the document comprised of details of how to enhance the capacity of Nigeria’s military and other security agencies, towards guaranteeing a safe society.

He said: “Currently our National Security Strategy tries to mitigate adverse national security indicators in its desire to achieve the delivery of positive governance outcome for all the people of Nigeria.

“’In so doing, this document takes a comprehensive look on how to enhance the capacity of security agencies and how they need to collaborate with each other.

”As we consolidate on the successes of peacebuilding in the North-East and the Niger-Delta the clear lesson for all of us here is that the key to sustainable peace and development is to guarantee security both in terms of economy and social status for everybody.”

Monguno added that strategy aims to look at the country’s security objectives and align the same with the Buhari administration’s goals of fighting corruption, giving access to improved education, healthcare, and agriculture.

According to him, both internal and external security threats globally are attributable to organized crime across borders.

The highpoint of the event was the public presentation of the document on National Security by President Buhari.

Present at the launch of the document were members of the Federal Executive Council, Service Chiefs and the Inspector-General of Police, Mohammed Adamu as well as Deputy Senate President Ovie Omo-Agege and the Speaker House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila.

The document is reviewed every five years. (NAN)