Defence Minister Urges Intelligence-Led, Tech-Driven Security

The Minister of Defence, retired Gen. Christopher Musa, says Nigeria's present security challenges require a move beyond kinetic operations to strategies driven by intelligence and technology.

 

Musa's position was set out in remarks delivered on his behalf on Monday in Abuja at the Defence Correspondents Association of Nigeria (DECAN) Conference on National Security and Awards Ceremony. He was represented by his Senior Special Adviser on Foreign Relations, retired Air Commodore Steven Ogunmodede.

 

The conference had as its theme "Beyond Kinetic Warfare: Harnessing Technology and Intelligence-Led Operations for Nigeria's National Security".

 

In the remarks, the minister said the theme reflected an operational reality that the Armed Forces and other security agencies must continually confront. He commended DECAN for choosing a theme that speaks directly to the changing character of contemporary security challenges.

 

"For a long time, public understanding of security operations has been shaped largely by visible military action; troops deployed, engagements conducted, territory recovered and arrests made.

 

"These remain important measures of operational activity, but they do not tell the whole story," he said.

 

The minister said today's threats were increasingly complex, adaptive and interconnected, with terrorist groups, criminal networks and other adversaries exploiting information, technology, financial systems and gaps in coordination.

 

Meeting those threats, he said, requires effective combat operations combined with timely intelligence, technological capability, sound planning and cooperation among the relevant security institutions.

 

He described this as the essence of intelligence-led operations. According to him, being able to detect a threat early, understand its networks, anticipate its intentions and act with precision can make the difference between preventing an attack and responding after lives have been lost.

 

"Technology can strengthen our surveillance, reconnaissance, communications and analytical capabilities, but it must be supported by trained personnel, reliable systems, effective doctrine and sound operational judgement.

 

"Technology is a force multiplier; it does not replace the human judgement, discipline and professional competence upon which military effectiveness ultimately depends."

 

Musa said the Ministry of Defence and the Armed Forces of Nigeria recognised the importance of these capabilities and were pursuing approaches that improve situational awareness, intelligence coordination and operational effectiveness.

 

He added that the ministry and the armed forces must be willing to learn, adapt and innovate, and must ensure that investment in technology translates into practical gains in protecting lives, defending territorial integrity and responding to emerging threats.

 

Cooperation across the security architecture also needs to be strengthened, he said, because no single institution holds all the information or capabilities required to tackle current security challenges.

 

Turning to defence correspondents, Musa said the relationship between security institutions and the media was sometimes marked by competing demands: the public's legitimate right to information and the operational requirements of security agencies.

 

"I do not believe these interests should be treated as inherently incompatible. Responsible journalism strengthens public understanding, promotes accountability and helps sustain confidence in our institutions.

 

"An appreciation of operational realities helps ensure that reporting does not inadvertently undermine ongoing efforts to protect lives," he said.

 

The minister noted that intelligence-led operations are not always visible. An operation that prevents an attack may yield no dramatic images, he said, and a successful intelligence effort may never become public because the information must remain protected.

 

For that reason, he said, the absence of a visible engagement should not automatically be taken as an absence of action.

 

"Security institutions must recognise that public confidence is strengthened when information is communicated accurately, promptly and responsibly," he said.

 

He urged defence correspondents to keep exercising professionalism and sound judgement. Scrutiny of the armed forces, he said, is legitimate and necessary, since accurate reporting can help improve institutional performance.

 

He, however, cautioned against unverified reports, sensitive operational details and information whose premature release could expose personnel, compromise operations or endanger civilians.

 

"My expectation is not that the media should abandon legitimate scrutiny, but that the pursuit of information should be balanced with an appreciation of the consequences that reporting can sometimes carry in a security environment," he said.