President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has reiterated his administration’s unwavering commitment to the welfare of members of the Armed Forces and intelligence agencies, expressing optimism that Nigeria will overcome its myriad security challenges. Speaking at the inauguration of the Headquarters of the Defence Intelligence Agency (DIA), Tinubu, represented by Senate President Godswill Akpabio, promised to equip the outfits with necessary administrative and logistics requirements to boost productivity.
"I assure you, along with the entire armed forces of Nigeria, that I will sustain the provision of welfare, training, and other administrative and logistics requirements to enhance your productivity and enable you to carry out your mandate," Tinubu stated. He emphasized the importance of a well-equipped intelligence outfit in improving intelligence gathering, processing, and timely dissemination to various arms of the military.
Commending both past and present leadership of the DIA for completing the new office structure, Tinubu said, “It is my sincere belief that out of this magnificent office structure shall emerge innovations and creativity in the field of intelligence gathering that would keep Nigeria ahead of its foes and make our country and people safer."
Reflecting on his tenure, Tinubu highlighted the priority given to national security, stating, "Since I assumed the leadership of our great nation a year ago, I have made the task of securing every inch of our country a topmost priority. I have no intention of relenting on this sacred duty."
Acknowledging the various security challenges across Nigeria's six geo-political zones, Tinubu noted the threats were not only physical but also economic and digital. He stressed the need to combat these digital threats, mentioning the use of artificial intelligence to enhance military capabilities. “You have to contend with behind your computers, using if necessary, AI (Artificial Intelligence), which enables our military to know the position of our enemies or the games they are up to and of course, you will do that in secret,” he said.
The president expressed confidence in the Armed Forces and intelligence agencies, including the DSS, NIA, and DIA, stating, “Our adversaries got our DNA wrong. The underlying spirit of Nigerians cannot and will never yield to forces of darkness. You have all left me in no doubt that you have no other higher obligations than to serve this nation of ours.”
Chief of Defence Intelligence (CDI), Maj.-Gen. Emmanuel Undiandeye, also spoke at the event, highlighting the DIA’s role in intelligence gathering and providing timely and appropriate actions for the military and national strategic decision-making. He emphasized the critical importance of intelligence as a tool of statecraft to protect the nation from surprise attacks, whether from hostile foreign military or internal challenges.
