The Federal Government on Tuesday restated its resolve to deal decisively with threats of crisis and conflict that are capable of disrupting peace and security in Nigeria.
The Minister of Defence, Retired Brig.-Gen. Mansur Dan-Ali, stated this at the opening of a three-day seminar on Information Management in Crisis Situations in Nigeria.
He said the security of lives and property of citizens remained top on the agenda of the President Muhammadu Buhari administration.
“The government of President Muhammadu Buhari’s number one priority is to ensure the security of lives and property of its citizens, guarantee a secure environment for socio-economic activities to thrive without hindrance.
“To this end, all security agencies in Nigeria have been called upon to crush and deter the threats of crisis and conflict that have potential to disrupt peace and security of our country.
“Our security and response agencies are constantly engaged in the essential tasks required for meeting these internal security objectives, our government will not relent in this primary objective’’, he said.
He said government would no longer tolerate unpatriotic acts that were capable of undermining the present administration’s efforts in entrenching sanity in the polity.
Dan-Ali acknowledged the efforts of troops and their commanders in the various theatres of operations in ensuring that Nigerian territories were not only secured but conducive for socio-economic activities to thrive.
The minister assured members of the Armed Forces and other security and response agencies, of the present administration’s commitment to their welfare.
He said despite the prevailing economic condition in the country, efforts were underway to improve the capacity of security and response agencies to discharge their duties effectively.
Dan-Ali said the seminar was timely as it would facilitate a robust interaction between information managers in the security and disaster management sector, and the media.
He said officers from the various security and response agencies would find a common ground to learn new skills, share experiences and build capacity of one another on information management.
Executive Secretary of the Centre for Crisis Communication (CCC), Retired Air Commodore Yusuf Anas, said the seminar was one of the centre’s intervention in crisis management in Nigeria.
He said the centre believed in developing and nurturing a symbiotic relationship between information managers and the media in managing information during crisis situations.
“The centre is evolving proactive measures and systematic approach to crisis communication aimed at filling existing communication gaps.
“One such gap identified by the centre is the occasional unsavory relationship with the media by the security and response agencies in times of crisis.
“The centre believes that peace and security are very essential for Nigeria’s socio-economic development’’, he said.
Anas said the seminar would be a regular feature in its calendar of activities for information managers in Nigeria.
Participants at the seminar are drawn from the media, various security and response agencies, the ministries of defence and interior, and non-governmental organisations.
