We must deploy technology to combat security challenges – COAS

The Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lt.-Gen. Taoreed Lagbaja, says security forces must remain proactive in the use of technology to address the nation’s security challenges.

Lagbaja said this when he received members of the Technical Committee established by the Ministry of Defense and Office of the National Security Advisor (ONSA) on Thursday in Abuja.

The committee is to advise on the way forward in combating security challenges confronting northern Nigeria.

NEWSVERGE reports that the team was led by the Chairman of the committee, retired Maj.-Gen. Ahmed-Tijani Jibril.

Lagbaja said the Nigerian Army had been engaged in its constitutional roles of protecting the country against external aggression and internal subversion with troops deployed in all the 36 states of the federation, including Federal Capital Territory.

He said the service had identified that the changing nature and character of conflicts was driven largely by technology.

“We are glad that this committee set up by the Ministry of Defence and ONSA has been tasked to identify how we can be a step ahead of the adversary in terms of technology so that we can quickly win all our battles and engagements.

“So, I want to appreciate the committee looking in that direction and we have also understood through our review that the military effort, the kinetic, will not win this war alone.

“So, we need all the support, technical or otherwise because the Nigerian Army has a lot of capability,” he said.

Earlier, the Chairman of the committee, retired Maj.-Gen. Jibrin, said the committee visited the army headquarters to get their inputs and further suggestions on how to address the challenges.

He said the committee had the task of identifying the technological gaps that needed to be closed to be able to win the war against insecurity in northern Nigeria.

He urged the COAS and the senior officers to be frank in making their suggestions and inputs.