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By Lizzy Chirkpi
Former Senate President and current Chairman of the Senate Committee on Defence, Senator Ahmad Lawan, has urged the Federal Government to adopt innovative, multi-layered intelligence systems to effectively confront modern security challenges, including terrorism, cybercrime, and transnational criminal networks.
Lawan made the remarks in Abuja on Monday while standing in for Senate President Godswill Akpabio as special guest of honour at the opening of the 2025 Chief of Defence Intelligence Annual Conference, which runs from November 24 to 28.
Declaring the event open, he disclosed the relevance of the conference theme, “The Role of Multi-Source Intelligence Innovation in National Security,” noting that it reflects the increasing importance of integrated, technology-driven intelligence in safeguarding the nation.
As Chair of the Senate Defence Committee, Lawan emphasized the need to merge intelligence from multiple sources to produce reliable, actionable insights.
“The complexities of today’s security landscape have made it imperative for intelligence agencies to adopt innovative approaches to safeguard Nigeria’s national interests. This Conference therefore provides a strategic opportunity to examine how multi-source intelligence can be effectively harnessed to enhance situational awareness, strengthen early warning systems, and support evidence-based decision-making,” he said.
He urged participants to examine the role of emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence, machine learning and data analytics in boosting Nigeria’s intelligence-gathering capabilities, while commending the Defence Intelligence Agency (DIA) for advancing data integration and promoting inter-agency cooperation.
Lawan also applauded the conference format, which features joint presentations by Defence Advisers/Attachés and State Office Coordinators.
According to him, “The synergy between both components reinforces the whole-of-government approach needed to counter emerging threats and enhance national resilience. The Defence Attachés System remains vital in facilitating defence diplomacy, while the State Office Coordinators serve as the Agency’s backbone for ground-level intelligence collection.”
Highlighting the importance of partnerships, he encouraged Defence Advisers to strengthen bilateral and multilateral ties and urged State Office Coordinators to deepen collaboration with local security agencies to improve intelligence fusion nationwide.
He commended the Chief of Defence Intelligence, Major General Emmanuel Undiandeye, for convening the conference and acknowledged the crucial contributions of Defence Attachés and State Office Coordinators to Nigeria’s security efforts.
“Your collective commitment to safeguarding Nigeria’s security interests both at home and abroad is commendable and reflects the spirit of professionalism that defines the DIA,” Lawan stated.
Expressing confidence in the conference outcomes, he said the deliberations would help shape stronger national and regional security strategies for the country.