Buhari inaugurates counterterrorism centre, national security facility

President Muhammadu Buhari has inaugurated the new office of the national security adviser (ONSA) and national counterterrorism centre (NCTC).

The two state-of-the-art facilities are meant to optimise efforts at addressing evolving security challenges in the country, especially terrorism and violent extremism.

Speaking at the inauguration of the facilities on Tuesday, the president said they would serve as a major legacy to provide the incoming administration with infrastructure to effectively coordinate national security and counterterrorism efforts.

He said the inauguration of the structures was a demonstration of his administration’s firm commitment to ensuring national security capabilities were kept abreast with the highest global standards.

Buhari said the offices were designed to enhance strategic response to a broad range of current and emerging security concerns.

He added that Nigeria exists in an interconnected world and therefore must be able to face and respond to both domestic and global security challenges.

“I can confidently state here today that we have achieved significant milestones in degrading the major threat and restoring normalcy to most of the hitherto securitised areas in the north-east,” he said.

“These areas previously occupied by terrorists have been freed and internally displaced persons are voluntarily returning to their homes.

“This was largely achieved through the valiant efforts of our armed forces and other security agencies, in collaboration with our regional and international partners but above all, the support and cooperation of the Nigerian citizens.”

Buhari also expressed delight that the government had curbed a series of armed banditry and kidnapping cases in the north-west and north-central zones.

He said these criminal acts had emerged as a result of the scattering of Boko Haram in the north-east and the implosion of Libya in the Maghreb.

SEPARATIST AGITATIONS 

The president further noted that agitators in the south-east and to a much lesser extent the south-west, who have been demonstrating separatist tendencies were being checkmated.

“Meanwhile, issues of crude oil theft, sea robbery, piracy and militancy in the south-south are equally being addressed,” he added. 

“Most of these threats have transnational linkages thereby reinforcing the need for regional and international cooperation as critical enablers to enhance our national security.”

STATE OF SECURITY

Buhari also expressed delight in the state of maritime security, noting that some key threats within Nigeria’s maritime environment such as piracy, sea robbery, crude oil theft as well as illegal unregulated and unreported fishing were being tackled.

He said between August 2018 and March 2023, over 220 vessels involved in maritime criminality within Nigeria’s exclusive economic zone, up to the Republic of Togo, had been prosecuted.

Buhari commended the Falcon eye maritime domain awareness project, domiciled with the Nigerian navy and coordinated by ONSA, for providing high-quality real-time intelligence, leading to the arrest and prosecution of economic saboteurs.

He said over 87 oil tankers involved in various crude oil and product theft had been arrested, adding that the theft of over 3 million barrels of crude oil was prevented and 15 million litres of petrol and diesel were recovered.

On cyber threats, the president underscored the importance of protecting Nigeria’s cyberspace from all forms of intrusion.

“To further complement these efforts, I will soon be endorsing the presidential order for the designation and protection of critical national information infrastructure,” he added. 

“This is bearing in mind that cyberspace creates a nexus for synchronising efforts of our security and law enforcement agencies towards addressing numerous security challenges.”