Akpabio Issues Strong Warning: “Nigeria Needs Smarter Intelligence To Survive Emerging Threats”

According to Ireporter Online, Senate President Godswill Akpabio has urged Nigeria’s Defence Attachés and advisers to deepen bilateral and multilateral cooperation with their host nations in order to develop a flexible and coordinated intelligence system capable of identifying and countering emerging security threats.

Speaking at the 2025 opening ceremony of the Chief of Defence Intelligence Annual Conference in Abuja on Monday, Akpabio, who was represented by the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Defence, Senator Ahmed Lawan, stressed that international and domestic partnerships remain essential in confronting the country’s widening security challenges.

He noted that the Defence Attaché framework is central to Nigeria’s defence diplomacy, strengthening intelligence sharing and promoting the nation’s strategic interests abroad. Akpabio added that State Office Coordinators of the Defence Intelligence Agency (DIA) continue to play a pivotal role in ground-level intelligence gathering, coordination, and collaboration with local security agencies.

According to him, the synergy between attachés and domestic intelligence officers forms the backbone of a whole-of-government strategy required to safeguard national stability. He emphasised the need for enhanced cooperation with international partners in areas such as capacity development, intelligence exchange, and acquisition of advanced surveillance technologies.

Akpabio stated that as security threats evolve, intelligence systems must equally advance to collect and interpret information across multiple domains in real time. He commended the Chief of Defence Intelligence for convening the conference and acknowledged the dedication of Defence Advisers, Attachés, and State Office Coordinators whose efforts, he said, continue to strengthen the nation’s security architecture.

He encouraged participants to use the conference as a platform to share knowledge and propose actionable strategies for integrating multi-source intelligence innovations into Nigeria’s security framework. Akpabio reiterated that Nigeria’s defence success depends on the ability to anticipate risks, connect intelligence across sectors, and take decisive actions based on credible insights.