By Ismail Azeez
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has set up a nine-member committee to prepare a Strategic Defence Operations Plan aimed at improving coordination across Nigeria’s defence, intelligence and security agencies.
The President’s Special Adviser on Homeland Security, Major-General Adeyinka A. Famadewa (Rtd), will coordinate the committee and provide secretariat support for the drafting of the plan.
Other members include the National Security Adviser, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu; Minister of Defence, General Christopher Musa; Minister of State for Defence, Alhaji Bello Muhammad Matawalle; Chief of Defence Staff, General Olufemi Oluyede; Chief of Army Staff, Lt. General Waidi Shaibu; Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Sunday Kelvin Aneke; and Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Idi Abbas.
Also on the committee are the Director-General of the Department of State Service, Tosin Ajayi, and the Director-General of the National Intelligence Agency, Ambassador Muhammed Muhammed.
Tinubu gave the directive on Wednesday at the Federal Executive Council meeting at the State House, Abuja, stressing the need for a coherent framework to address evolving security threats across the country.
He said the new framework would create a common understanding of the threats facing the nation, the operational objectives to be achieved, and the capabilities needed to respond effectively.
The directive was contained in a statement signed by the President’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga.
According to the statement, the Strategic Defence Operations Plan will turn the assessment into clear operational priorities, identify the forces and capabilities required in each theatre, highlight existing gaps, and set out equipment, support needs and an implementation timetable.
Tinubu said recent security successes, including the rescue of pupils and teachers abducted in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State, showed the importance of stronger coordination among defence, security and intelligence agencies.
“The operation demonstrated what can be achieved when our agencies work together with a clear objective and the necessary intelligence,” the President said.
He added that operational requirements are often considered separately, without enough reference to an agreed national threat assessment or a unified medium-term plan, making coordination more difficult and reducing the efficient deployment of resources.
Tinubu said the National Threat Assessment would identify the main threats facing the country, determine their urgency and set operational objectives for tackling them.
Under the directive, the committee may also consult or co-opt representatives of other ministries, departments and agencies where necessary.
The President instructed the committee to begin work immediately and submit the completed National Threat Assessment and Strategic Defence Operations Plan for approval within 90 days.
Once approved, the plan will serve as the main framework for coordinating military and defence operations over the medium term.
It will also form the basis for a multi-year defence expenditure and procurement plan, ensuring resources are directed towards agreed operational priorities and critical national security needs.
He further directed the Secretary to the Government of the Federation and the Office of the National Security Adviser to take immediate steps to implement the directives.