A Strategic Management and Policy Studies Course to explore research-based solutions to Nigeria’s defence and security challenges has begun on Thursday in Abuja.

The Chief of Army Staff, Lt.-Gen. Taoreed Lagbaja, said the course, run by the Nigerian Army Resource Centre (NARC), was conceived as part of a holistic approach to addressing issues of security in the country.

He said since the issue of security includes all aspects of human endeavour, factors like food and physical security, poverty and employment, must be given adequate attention.

Mr Lagbaja, therefore, said the participants would examine and analyse government policies and activities and how they impact national security.

“The essence of having a composite group on the course is to enrich the class discussions through cross-fertilisation of ideas and knowledge, thereby adding value to the course. The course is about imparting knowledge in different spheres of human activities.

“As strategic leaders in your respective services and agencies, knowledge is crucial to your performance and this is not about a specific issue or discipline but an understanding of all human endeavours. It must never be forgotten that leadership builds structures based on the dynamics of global developmental trends in both immediate and remote environments,” he added.

Mr Lagbaja said it was a conscious and viable foundation for cooperation amongst the participants which would strengthen inter-agency cooperation now and in the future to achieve better performance in joint activities.

Babagana Kingibe said the management of national security at all levels required a thorough grasp of policy objectives and challenges, as well as synergy among security and intelligence agencies.

Mr Kingibe said the participants, being operations officers, require strong synergy, cooperation and understanding of their individual roles.

According to him, national security issues are not a one-agency endeavour, but for everybody to understand the policy objectives and their roles in achieving the objectives.

“That is why it is always important to have courses like this where strategic management levels officers of all the agencies come together, share ideas and develop a well-synergised policy,” he said.

NARC director-general, Garba Wahab, said the course was aimed at bringing together officers from various security agencies and stakeholders to share ideas and understand each other’s roles.

Mr Wahab said the course was also designed to broaden their knowledge of policy objectives and formulate appropriate strategies to achieve set goals.

He said the course would run for 11 months with participants drawn from the military, State Security Service, the police, the National Youth Service Corps, and the Federal Road Safety Corps, amongst others.

(NAN)