Participants in Course 30 of the National Defence College (NDC) have been tasked by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo to build a ruthlessly innovative national security and defence strategy to confront security concerns.
At the college's 30th Year Anniversary and Course 30 Graduation Dinner and Award on Tuesday in Abuja, Osinbajo made the announcement.
Adeyemi Dipeolu, Special Advisor to the President on Economic Matters, acted as his representative.
The vice president made the point that ensuring security was a shared responsibility of the entire society could only be done in concert with a wide variety of state and civil society actors.
He urged the military and other security agencies to recognise the regional, continental and international ramifications of the threats facing nations in developing security and defence strategies.
“You must embrace smart ways of managing society in a pervasively digital universe as contemporary technologies have introduced new levels of complexity to an already challenging security environment.
“Technological revolution in the present era also avails you of a broad range of tools with which you can protect our vital interests and safeguard our people.
“You must be relentlessly innovative in exploiting these options.
“Overall you must be sensitive to the needs and demands of the people who are the primary reference of national security as the spear and shield of our nation,’’ he said.
Osinbajo noted that the former exclusive approach to security management, in which the military and security services were considered the exclusive stewards of security, had been abandoned by the globe.
He noted that the method was the focus of Course 30 and said that the whole-of-society approach to security management had emerged as the fundamental tenet of national security governance.
In addition, the vice president asked foreign participants to be proud graduates of the institution, uphold the relationships they had formed, and support Nigeria's efforts to uphold peace and security.
“I have no doubt that you have come to fully appreciate this activity and security management in furtherance of the whole of society doctrine.
“It is clear that you must also embrace the role that women play in contemporary security management and give meaning to it in your future engagements.
“In this regard, I am glad that this institution has consistently given female participants equal opportunity to participate in this highly rewarding strategic leadership training.
“Our defence cooperation with friendly nations in Africa and the world has been mutually beneficial.
“I specially recognise all the foreign dignitaries and international participants here and convey our appreciation for your association with Nigeria and the NDC,’’ he said.
In his remarks, NDC Commandant Murtala Bashir described the celebration of the college's 30th graduating class since its founding in 1992 as a turning point in its history.
Rear Admiral Bashir praised the students for their perseverance and dedication during the training.
He asserted that the course was intended to test the participants' fortitude and capacity to make complex judgments under conditions of ambiguity, stress, and strain. He claimed that the participants would have understood and appreciated this.
He noted that the participants' capacity to navigate the complexity and uncertainty was what made them strategic leaders. He described the security environment as volatile, uncertain, complex, and ambiguous.
Bashir expressed the hope that the knowledge and experience gained at the college would distinguish participants in leadership wherever they went.
“We are doing everything possible to reduce the workload of the course without compromising standards.
“Permit me to emphasise to you, two training philosophies of the college which I would encourage you to always carry along.
“First, you must remember that military training and operations are anchored on teamwork. You must have been told repeatedly that you are as strong as your weakest link.
“This philosophy is reflected in the group exercises you conducted during your training in the college.
“For a long time, however, teamwork had been narrowly understood to mean intra-service solidarity, but we know today that the era of single service operations is gone.
“You must leave here thinking of cooperation; you must be prepared to think, act, plan and operate jointly,’’ he stressed.
The commandant also emphasised to attendees that the military, intelligence, and other security forces were no longer the only ones with authority over security management.
He asserted that civilian populations were essential to military operations and that, in modern times, few operations did not directly or indirectly affect the civilian population.
He claims that these factors have made the involvement of police officers, other security personnel, and civilians from important ministries, departments, and organisations necessary for the training.
The Inspector-General of Police, Usman Baba, as well as other service heads and the Chief of Defence Staff, Lucky Irabor, reportedly attended the dinner.