ENUGU, Nigeria (VOICE OF NAIJA)- President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to leveraging Artificial Intelligence (AI) and fostering inter-agency collaboration to enhance Nigeria’s internal security framework.
Speaking through the National Security Adviser, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, at the investiture ceremony for the National Institute for Security Studies (NISS) Executive Intelligence Management Course (EIMC) 17 graduates, Tinubu described the occasion as a pivotal moment in redefining Nigeria’s security strategies.
The ceremony, held at the NISS headquarters at Lower Usuma Dam in Abuja, marked the conclusion of a ten-month AI-focused inter-agency security intelligence training.
The programme graduated 91 Fellows of the Security Institute (fsi), including participants from Côte d’Ivoire, Gambia, Chad, Rwanda, and Ghana, underlining Nigeria’s growing role in regional security collaboration.
Dignitaries in attendance included Vice President Kashim Shettima, represented by FCT Minister Nyesom Wike; the Senate President, represented by Professor Anthony Ani; Attorney General of the Federation Lateef Fagbemi; Minister of Finance Wale Edun; Chief of Defence Staff General Christopher Musa; and six former Directors General of the Department of State Services (DSS).
READ ALSO: Nigeria Set To Gain From Germany’s €4bn Green Energy Investment
President Tinubu commended the leadership of the DSS for fostering unity and innovation within the security sector, stating that the conferment of the Fellows represents a critical milestone in Nigeria’s security history.
He urged the graduates to apply their newly acquired skills to improve intelligence production, inter-agency cooperation, and overall security management.
Vice President Shettima emphasized the importance of AI in addressing contemporary security challenges and encouraged the graduates to utilize their training for national service.
The Senate President also lauded the institute’s efforts in promoting inter-agency synergy, which he described as crucial for national stability.
In his welcome address, DSS Director General Oluwatosin Adeola Ajayi traced the institute’s evolution from its beginnings as the Abuja Training School in 1999 to its current status as a premier security training hub, elevated through a legislative act in 2019. Ajayi highlighted NISS’s expanded mandate, which includes conducting research and policy training for intelligence agencies across Nigeria and Africa.
Ajayi also praised the inclusion of representatives from intelligence bodies like the Defence Intelligence Agency (DIA) and the National Intelligence Agency (NIA) on NISS’s board, which reflects the institute’s regional and collaborative focus.
He attributed the success of the training programme to the support of service chiefs and expressed gratitude to President Tinubu for his unwavering backing of security initiatives.
Chairing the occasion, former Niger State Governor Mu’azu Babangida Aliyu called for increased funding for the DSS, urging elected officials to build on the legacies of previous administrations. He also commended the unity displayed by former DSS Directors General in supporting NISS’s objectives.
Representing the retired DSS chiefs, Rtd. Col. L.K.K. Are announced the formation of a Forum of Retired DSS Directors General, aimed at providing expertise and ensuring seamless leadership transitions within the service.