The National Security Adviser (NSA), Babagana Monguno, says the smart approaches adopted by the military and other security agencies to tackle insecurity were yielding positive outcomes.

Mr Monguno said this at the opening of the Defence Advisers and Attachés Annual Conference, organised by the Defence Intelligence Agency, on Monday in Abuja.

The week-long conference has the theme, “Sustaining Nigeria’s Defence and Security: Role of the Defence Attaché System”.

The NSA said the Armed Forces of Nigeria and other security agencies have been striving to significantly reduce the security threats across the country.

He identified some of the threats as insurgency and terrorism in the North-East and secessionist agitation in the South-East and South-West.

The threats also include illegal oil bunkering in the South-South, banditry, kidnapping and cattle rustling in the North-West and North-Central zones.

Mr Monguno said the military and security agencies had recorded a high degree of success in all operations and substantial levels of peace and stability in the North-East and North-West.

This, according to him, is evident by the continued mass surrender of terrorists and their sympathisers, particularly in the North-East.

“Similar degrees of success have also been recorded in other zones of the country, especially in addressing crude oil theft and secessionist activities, amongst others.”

Mr Monguno harped on strengthening regional cooperation to ensure the success of ongoing military operations further.

“I must also mention the support of our neighbours in our regional counterterrorism efforts, particularly in the Lake Chad Basin, under the auspices of the Multinational Joint Task Force (MNJTF).

“The transnational nature of the current threats has made regional cooperation a matter of utmost necessity.

“Additionally, we have continued to strengthen collaboration with our international partners in terms of capacity building and strategic intelligence sharing.

“These strategic partnerships are mainly driven by the defence Attaché system,” he said.

The NSA commended the agency for strengthening alliances to promote Nigeria’s regional and international interests.

He said President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration was determined to go to great lengths to ensure that the country attained the desired peace, stability and prosperity.

He said it was important that DIA broaden its horizon to explore avenues to improve indigenous capability in the various dimensions of national security.

Mr Monguno expressed confidence that the conference’s outcome would reinforce the existing strategies and proffer new ones to address some perennial security challenges.

The Chief of Defence Intelligence (CDI), Samuel Adebayo, said the annual conference allowed the agency to appraise the activities of its defence sections all over the world.

Mr Adebayo said the conference came at a time when the nation faced unusual security challenges characterised by a volatile, uncertain and complex environment.

(NAN)