Tinubu orders 5-year defence plan, national threat assessment

From Juliana Taiwo-Obalonye, Abuja

President Bola Tinubu has ordered the immediate preparation of a comprehensive National Threat Assessment and a rolling five-year Strategic Defence Operations Plan to strengthen coordination among Nigeria’s defence, intelligence and security agencies.

Tinubu gave the directive on Wednesday at the Federal Executive Council meeting at the State House, Abuja, where he constituted an 11-member committee to produce the two strategic documents within 90 days.

The committee is headed by the Special Adviser to the President on Homeland Security, Major General Adeyinka Famadewa, who will also provide secretariat support.

Its membership includes the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu; Minister of Defence, Christopher Musa; Minister of State for Defence, Bello Matawalle; Chief of Defence Staff, General Olufemi Oluyede; Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant 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 Services, Tosin Ajayi, and Director-General of the National Intelligence Agency, Ambassador Muhammed Muhammed.

According to a statement issued by the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, the President said the initiative was necessary to establish a coherent national framework for responding to evolving security threats and ensure that military and security resources were deployed according to clearly defined priorities.

Tinubu said the National Threat Assessment would provide a common understanding of the threats confronting the country, their relative urgency and the operational objectives required to address them.

The five-year Strategic Defence Operations Plan, he said, would translate the assessment into specific operational priorities, including the forces and capabilities required in different theatres, existing capability gaps, equipment and support requirements and a timetable for implementation.

The President expressed concern that operational requirements were often considered independently by different security agencies without sufficient reference to an agreed national threat assessment or unified medium-term strategy.

He said the absence of such a framework had complicated coordination and limited the efficient deployment of available resources.

Tinubu cited recent security successes, including the rescue of pupils and teachers abducted in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State, as evidence of the results that could be achieved through stronger coordination among 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.

Under the new arrangement, the committee may consult or co-opt representatives of other ministries, departments and agencies where necessary.

Tinubu directed the committee to commence work immediately and submit the National Threat Assessment and Strategic Defence Operations Plan within 90 days for his consideration and approval.

Once approved, the five-year plan is expected to serve as the principal framework for coordinating military and defence operations over the medium term.

It will also provide the basis for a corresponding multi-year defence expenditure and procurement plan, with resources directed towards agreed operational priorities and critical national security requirements.

The President further directed the Secretary to the Government of the Federation and the Office of the National Security Adviser to take immediate steps to give effect to the directive.

The initiative comes amid the administration’s efforts to strengthen inter-agency coordination and align Nigeria’s defence planning, intelligence gathering, operational deployment and procurement with a unified assessment of the country’s security threats.