Onazena Abbey, Benin
The Nigerian Armed Forces has called for the establishment of military Intelligence Centre in the West Africa region in the fight against insurgency.
Chief of Defense Intelligence, Air Vice Marshall Mohammed Sani Usman disclosed this in a lecture delivered at the 2020 1st quarter colloquium of the Buratai Centre for Contemporary Security Affairs, Igbinedion University, Okada tagged Intelligence Support for Counter Insurgency in the Sahel Region of Africa.
Represented by Major General Chukwumadu Martins, Usman identified what he termed over bearing external influence in the affairs of member countries as major constraint militating intelligent counter insurgency in the sub Sahel region.
He said Military Intelligence Centre in the region will serve as Intelligence Training Centre and help build military capacity of member countries.
Usman who called for a reduction of external influence by colonial masters in the internal affairs of their former colonies, amongst others, said lack of a secure communication platform, inadequate capacity of real time intelligence gathering, joint intelligence training of member countries constitute impediment in counter insurgency.
He equally advocated for joint acquisition of Intelligence Surveillance and Reconnaissance ISR satellite in the region.
In his welcome, the Vice Chancellor, Igbinedion University, Professor, Lawrence Ezemonye said the University has consequently incorporated Security Affairs in its 2020/2021 academic session as General Studies GST part of its contribution to fostering security consciousness in the country.
He said the choice of Air Marshall Usman as guest speaker was carefully made by the University following the role of intelligence in devising appropriate strategies and tactics in counter insurgency.
He said the University accredited post graduate programmes has increased from ten to nineteen.
