Uzodimma Emphasises Importance Of Collaboration Between Government, Security Institutions

Governor Hope Uzodimma of Imo State has emphasised the importance of collaboration between the country’s government and security agencies, praising the Nigerian Army in particular for its contributions to national unity and security.

Uzodimma made the commendation on Thursday while receiving participants from Course 33 of the National Defence College on a five-day study tour of Imo State at the Government House in Owerri.

The Governor, accompanied by the Commissioner for Tourism, Hospitality, and Culture, Jerry Egemba, emphasised the importance of collaboration between government and security institutions and thanked the College for selecting Imo State for her study this year.

He urged Course 33 participants to apply what they learnt during their tour of Imo State to their professional development and the good of the nation.

“I am aware that you are strategically positioned at the heart of not only Nigerian unity but also the Federal Republic of Nigeria’s defence architecture.

“We have felt your impact, not just through your visit to Imo today but also through the peace and security that Imo now enjoys,” Uzodimma stated.

Brig.-Gen. Kabiru Sidi, who led the college’s study tour to the state, previously stated that the exercise’s goal was to study the dynamics of the country’s various states.

According to Sidi, the college selected five states for the 2024 Course 33 study tour: Akwa Ibom, Bauchi, Plateau, Imo, and Sokoto.

He stated that the theme for the 2024 course is “Strengthening Institutions for National Security and Development in Nigeria.”

The team leader stated that the National Defence College is the premier training institution for the Nigerian Armed Forces, focusing on strategy and policy formulation.

His words: “Each team is sent to different states with a research topic. At the end, they file reports back to the headquarters and as well make recommendations to state governments for implementation.”

Sidi described the Nigeria Defence College as a “strategic level training institution and the final level of training that any person will receive in their career.”

“Because it teaches strategy and policymaking, it is the most important institution in the Nigerian Armed Forces.

“It also sharpens the analytical skills of participants so that at the end of the day, when they depart the college, they will become assets to every nation that they come from,” he further explained.

The National Defence College is the apex military training institution in Nigeria, established in 1992 to train senior military and other security officers.

Its main objectives include analysing the socio-economic and political environment’s impact on national security and development as well as preparing officers for strategic-level responsibilities.

Egemba, who spoke on “The Geography, History, and Culture of Imo State,” emphasised that Governor Uzodimma holds the security institution in high esteem, the reason Imo State was selected out of the five states of the federation for the study tour.

Another resource person and Commander 34 Field Artillery Brigade Obinze, Brigadier General Usman Lawal, spoke on “The Challenges Militating Against Strengthening Institutions in the Contemporary Security Environment and Measures Taken To Address Them.”

Lawal drew attention to issues such as inadequate manpower, insufficient training, limited funding, and bureaucratic hurdles as some of the significant obstacles that ought to be dealt with.

Dissecting the topic, “The Effect, Impact, and Challenges of Institutional Reforms in the State,” the Commissioner for Homeland Security and Vigilant Affairs, Hon. Modestus Osakwe, recommended the establishment of a crime forecast centre, the creation of a South East Security Agency, and the adoption of advanced security technologies to combat crime effectively in the South East.

For the Commissioner for Digital Economy and e-Government, Dr Chimezie Amadi, whose paper was on “Citizens Participation and Engagement in Strengthening Institutions and Promoting Security and Developmental in Imo State,” highlighted several people-oriented policies introduced by the State government under Governor Uzodimma aimed at rebuilding public trust.

Sidi praised Imo State’s hospitality spirit and thanked Governor Uzodimma for always providing a conducive environment at the College.

He praised the resource persons and referred to their papers as informative and educational. The resource persons were then presented with plaques and books as a token of appreciation for their participation.

Sidi urged the governor to keep the state’s door open for the college’s members whenever they called.

At the end of the day, the participants’ report, which included 31 senior officers from the military, police, paramilitary, and civil service sectors in Nigeria and abroad, will be used to determine whether the critical decisions reached in the state under consideration should be implemented.