National Security Adviser Nuhu Ribadu has linked the current financial challenges in the country to the fiscal issues inherited from President Bola Tinubu’s administration.
Despite the financial constraints impacting budget allocations, Ribadu affirmed the federal government’s commitment to ensuring a robust defense management and apparatus.
These remarks were made during the Chief of Defence Intelligence Annual Conference 2023 in Abuja, focusing on the theme of “Leveraging Defence Diplomacy and Effective Regional Collaboration for Enhanced National Security.”
The conference, attended by key figures like Minister of Defence Abubakar Badaru, Minister of State Bello Matawalle, and the Chief of Defence Staff, provided a platform for Ribadu to acknowledge the inherited financial difficulties, characterizing the country as “literally bankrupt.” He underscored the administration’s ongoing efforts to tackle these challenges within the confines of budgetary limitations, especially in meeting the armed forces’ requirements.
Ribadu commended the current leadership of the armed forces for its dedicated efforts in addressing security challenges both within and beyond Nigeria. He called for unity and unwavering support for the armed forces in their mission to ensure the country’s peace and stability. While acknowledging positive changes and improvements in a relatively short timeframe, he stressed the importance of standing by and supporting the armed forces in their endeavors.
Discussing the impact of coups in Mali, Burkina Faso, Niger, Gabon, and Guinea, Ribadu highlighted the abrupt reversal of democratic fortunes in those nations. He emphasized the pivotal role of defense diplomacy in engaging allies and partners at bilateral and multilateral levels to achieve national security objectives.
Chief of Defence Intelligence Maj.-Gen. Emmanuel Undiandeye added that the agency is resolute in harnessing the capabilities of the defense attaché system to meet national security objectives. Undiandeye underscored the multitude of complex threats facing Nigeria, including terrorism, secessionist agitation, kidnapping, herders-farmers clashes, and cyber threats. He emphasized the necessity of a comprehensive approach to effectively address these multifaceted challenges.
