Former President of the Senate and Chairman Senate Committee on Defence Senator Ahmed Lawan has called for a dedicated percent of Nigeria's revenue to funding of the Armed Forces of Nigeria and other security agencies to procure more platforms.
He made the call in a goodwill message at the 3rd edition of Defence Correspondents Association of Nigeria (DECAN) with the theme "Beyond Kinetic Warfare: Harnessing Technology and Intelligence -led Operations for Nigeria's National Security" in Abuja
He noted that the National Assembly has been supporting the Armed forces and other security agencies by way of budgetary approvals.
"For us in the National Assembly, it is our duty to support the arm of government, to ensure that whatever resources are available and are required, are requested by the arm of government, we support that and we even give more. And today, I am over 27 years as a member of the National Assembly, I have not seen any request sent by the executive for the armed forces and other security agencies that has not been approved. In fact, in most cases, they were always approved. Because we believe that security is first,".
He reiterated that constitutionally, the security and welfare of citizens is the essence of government. "therefore, we will continue to support our work with the arm of government to ensure that the resources that we have within our constraints are made available for our security agencies and armed forces.
He said " Let me at this point suggest that as we receive more and more revenues, better revenues than before, especially outside of the war, I think we need to have more platforms, more weapons, purchase in bulk. Maybe we need to dedicate a certain percentage of our resources to arm our armed forces and other security agencies to safeguard this country.
"I believe that this is one way of ensuring that our armed forces are better supported because you cannot send someone to go out and fight with little and of course expect much success. But credit to our armed forces and other security agencies, we are still doing very well.But I believe that we need to give you a lot more. That's why the National Assembly is thinking that budgets for the armed forces and other security agencies should be on first line charge because this will contain the problems that sometimes our armed forces face in terms of budget releases and other resources that must make them do better and so on,".
He charged journalists to inform Nigerians about the services of security agencies despite pockets of insecurity in the country.
"I believe that our armed forces are still working so hard and therefore from time to time when we face banditry, it's not a good reason for anyone to say Nigeria is totally insecure.It's not true. I believe that we have moved from where we were to a better situation now but we can make this better, far more better. We will continue to fight the way we have been fighting insurgency and banditry and other criminal activities in the country" he concluded.
The Minister of Defence, Gen. Christopher Musa Gwabin (Rtd) commend DECAN for selecting a theme that speaks directly to the changing character of contemporary security challenges.
He said "Beyond Kinetic Warfare: Harnessing Technology and Intelligence-Led Operations for Nigeria's National Security" is not merely a subject for academic discussion; but to address an operational reality that the Armed Forces and other security agencies must continually confront.
"For a long time, public understanding of security operations has been shaped largely by visible military action: troops deployed, engagements conducted, territory recovered and arrests made. These remain important measures of operational activity, but they do not tell the whole story.
He affirms that responsible journalism strengthens public understanding, promotes accountability and helps sustain confidence in our institutions. Equally, an appreciation of operational realities helps ensure that reporting does not inadvertently undermine ongoing efforts to protect lives.
"Intelligence-led operations are not always visible. An operation that prevents an attack may produce no dramatic images, and a successful intelligence effort may never become public knowledge because the information involved must remain protected. The absence of a visible engagement should therefore not automatically be interpreted as an absence of action. At the same time, security institutions must recognise that public confidence is strengthened when information is communicated accurately, promptly and responsibly, to the extent that operational considerations permit."
Today's threats are increasingly complex, adaptive and interconnected. Terrorist groups, criminal networks and other adversaries exploit information, technology, financial systems and gaps in coordination to pursue their objectives. Consequently, our response must combine effective combat operations with timely intelligence, technological capability, sound planning and cooperation among relevant security institutions.
This he said is the essence of intelligence-led operations. The ability to identify a threat early, understand its networks, anticipate its intentions and act with precision can make the difference between preventing an attack and responding after lives have been lost.
"Technology can strengthen our surveillance, reconnaissance, communications and analytical capabilities, but it must be supported by trained personnel, reliable systems, effective doctrine and sound operational judgement. Technology is a force multiplier, it does not replace the human judgement, discipline and professional competence upon which military effectiveness ultimately depends."
"At the Ministry of Defence and across the Armed Forces of Nigeria, we recognise the importance of these capabilities and continue to pursue approaches that improve situational awareness, intelligence coordination and operational effectiveness. We must remain willing to learn, adapt and innovate, while ensuring that investments in technology translate into practical improvements in our ability to protect lives, defend our territorial integrity and respond to emerging threats. Equally important is the need to strengthen cooperation across our security architecture, because no single institution possesses all the information or capabilities required to address today's security challenges."
The Defence minister The relationship between national security institutions and the media is sometimes characterised by competing demands: the public's legitimate right to information on one hand, and the operational requirements of security agencies on the other which not be treated as inherently incompatible.
"I therefore encourage defence correspondents to continue exercising the professionalism and sound judgement required by their vocation. Scrutiny of the Armed Forces is legitimate and necessary, and accurate reporting can help improve institutional performance. However, care must be taken with unverified reports, sensitive operational details and information whose premature disclosure could expose personnel, compromise an operation or endanger civilians."
"My expectation is not that the media should abandon legitimate scrutiny, but that the pursuit of information should be balanced with an appreciation of the consequences that reporting can sometimes carry in a security environment."
The Chief of Defence staff, General Oluremi Oluyede on his part emphasis that battles are no longer won by firepower alone but by superior information, real-time intelligence, technological dominance, cyber resilience, and the ability to control the narrative space.
He said From space-based surveillance and geospatial intelligence, to Artificial Intelligence-enabled decision support and joint intelligence fusion, the Armed Forces of Nigeria is investing in non-kinetic capabilities to outpace adversaries, protect citizens and secure our national interests.
"This understanding informed our recent drive at the Defence Space Administration, the expansion of modular earth observation outposts into our operational theatres, the establishment of the Defence Space School for human capital development, and the ongoing integration of AI and advanced surveillance systems across our operations. We are building an Armed Forces that is not only combat-ready but also intelligence-driven and technology-enabled."
"However, as we harness technology for national good, we must confront its misuse. The Defence Headquarters is increasingly concerned about the growing menace of AI-generated fake videos, manipulated images, cloned voices and false operational claims being deliberately circulated to mislead the public, incite fear, discredit our troops, and undermine national security efforts. These deepfakes are not mere misinformation; they are weapons of psychological warfare aimed at eroding public trust in the Armed Forces and rupturing the vital bond between the military and the citizen."
"In today’s information age, security operations are fought not only on the battlefield but also in the information domain. A single AI-generated video can undo months of operational gains, endanger troops, and cause panic in communities. This is a shared threat to our national security," he said.
The Defence Chief who was ably represented by the Director Defence Media Information, Major General Samaila Uba charge DECAN members to uphold Truth as a National Security Imperative.
"Verify with Defence Headquarters before publishing sensitive operational content. Speed must never be at the expense of accuracy. Partner with Us to Expose Fake AI Messages. Lend your professional platforms to educate the public on identifying synthetic media and to promptly debunk fake videos attributed to the Armed Forces. Champion Intelligence-Led Journalism. Move beyond sensational headlines to informed, technology-aware reporting that strengthens jointness, promotes civil-military trust and counters extremist propaganda."
He assured that the Armed Forces of Nigeria remains resolute in its constitutional duty to defend Nigeria’s sovereignty and democracy.
"We cannot succeed alone. The trust, cooperation and synergy between the military and the citizenry, mediated through a responsible press, remain indispensable."
Also in his goodwill message, Dr.Ibrahim Kana, Permanent Secretary, General Service, Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation said over the years, Nigeria has had a bad image, not because the country is bad, but because people choose to represent Nigeria in a very bad light, particularly in India.
He therefore appreciates members of the Defence Correspondent Association of Nigeria for being professional and patriotic in the discharge of their duties.
"we have defense correspondents who actually are embedded and working with the armed forces, more often than not, actually, in some situations in the war front with the armed forces, who else is better positioned to report Nigerian security situations than the defense correspondents. Over time, I've seen that virtually all of you are highly responsible Nigerians. You report Nigeria positively, and I say congratulations," he said.
Dr. Kana described reportage as something that in every part of the world, people take very seriously, because that's what is called the open source intelligence. He charge members to continue in the good light.
"People use social media to access open source intelligence, all over the world. In particular, I work very closely with all the embassies in Nigeria."
"The embassies on a daily basis have people that follow social media activities, and what they see is what they synthesize, analyze, and come up with conclusions. And such conclusions, more often than not, represent Nigeria in a very bad light. Therefore, I want to urge you, you've been doing so well in reporting the armed forces and the security situation in a very positive light.Please continue in that regard," he said.
The director appreciates the armed forces of Nigeria for their sacrifices in keeping the nation safe.
"To the armed forces, what else can we say other than to say thank you very much? I always tell people that at a distance, you will not appreciate what the armed forces are actually doing in Nigeria. Until you work with them, then you will not see that.
"Truly, some people are sleeping. Some people are remaining awake, while others, some of us, are actually sleeping and sleeping soundly. It is only the armed forces in Nigeria, really, that can stand proudly to say it represents Nigeria in all facets of our lives. They represent Nigeria positively. They devote their lives. They sacrifice their families."
"They sacrifice their freedom. And they also sacrifice their own world, just to protect the integrity of our country. Journalists will continue to report it very well. We'll continue to report the security and defense situation in a positive light."
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