Army chief seeks homegrown tech to tackle insurgency, banditry, others

From Molly Kilete, Abuja

The Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Olufemi Oluyede has advocated development of home grown technology to support military  operations in combating terrorism, banditry, kidnapping, armed robbery and other violent crimes bedeviling the country.

The COAS, who made this known at  one-day seminar organized by the Department of Army Transformation, said reliance on foreign technology limits the potential of the Nigerian Army to combat insecurity.

He has therefore, called for collaboration for homegrown technological solutions from the National Space Research and Development Agency (NASRDA), Nigeria Communications Satellite Limited (NIGCOMSAT), Defense Space Administration (DSA) and National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA).

Represented by the the Commander Nigeria Army Cyber Warfare Command, Major General Adeleke Ayannuga at the seminar, the COAS, while noting that Nigeria has in recent years faced unprecedented security challenges arising from threats of terrorism, banditry, increasing urban crimes, and separatist agitations, said lives have been lost, families slaughtered, and communities uprooted over these threats.

He also said that investments and businesses have been hampered, adding that despite the immense resources and efforts to combat these threats, elements of insecurity threat still persist and calls for a change of strategy.

He said,”the complexity and evolving nature of these threats require a new approach, one that is adaptive, innovative, and homegrown. Homegrown technology is not just a tool. It is a declaration of technological independence in the fight against insecurity.

“By embracing these homegrown technological solutions, it will also foster a sense of ownership and pride in our capacity to secure our nation

“In today’s rapidly evolving global landscape, leveraging domestic cutting-edge technology and innovative solutions cannot be overemphasized.

Therefore, relying solely on foreign technologies can limit our potential, hence the need to collaborate and develop our domestic capabilities in fighting insecurity in Nigeria.

“We believe that the collaboration will foster intelligence sharing, surveillance, and effective communication systems within the Nigerian Army operational environment,”.

He described the seminar as apt and timely as it provided  platforms for collaboration, knowledge exchange, and forward-thinking dialogue between the Nigerian Army and indigenous technology service providers.

Also, Chairman Senate Committee on Army, Abdulaziz Musa Yar’Adua,who was  represented by his Senior legislative aide, Major General Abubakar Adamu (Rtd), called for consistency and sustainability of home grown solutions.

He said while everything is  now technology-driven, the Army would not rely on any foreigner to achieve its purpose.

“That is why the local content for this, as presented in this seminar, is very important and I want to tell you people, anything anybody can do, anywhere in the world, there are  thousand and one Nigerians that can do it,”.

He therefore,called on the Army to expand its scope and bring on board research institutions to build capacity to manage the technologies locally developed.

“ You know one of the biggest challenges we have is building capacity and partnership. We must build capacity and we must build capacity at all levels. What I mean by all levels, from the lower rank to the higher ranks, because in today’s world, you cannot be left alone when it comes to technology. And also, like I said, we must sustain it. Sustainability is very key.You cannot start providing a solution and then you abandon it along the line. So, we must be consistent. We must focus on the solutions we want to provide”.

In his address,  Managing Director  NIGCOMSAT Mrs Nkechi Jane Egerton Idehen reiterated the need for homegrown technology for the military to ensure independence and control of the technology.

She said home grown technology would also help reduce pressure on the nation’s foreign exchange by pricing in Naira instead of dollars.She added that nations have always sought for homegrown solutions so they could control the security of the data.

Earlier in his address, the Chief of Transformation and Innovation (Army), Major General Zakari Abubakar said the seminar is  aimed at  harnessing the potential of indigenous technological solutions to enhance the Nigerian Army’s operational efficiency.