By Ameh Gabriel
The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Tajudeen Abbas, on Tuesday, May 13, 2025, delivered a high-level lecture on national security to participants of the Royal College of Defence Studies (RCDS), United Kingdom, and the National Defence College (NDC), Nigeria, in Abuja.
The lecture, titled “National Security and Resilience: Strategic Imperatives for a Secure Nigeria,” focused on the importance of strategic alliances, inter-agency cooperation, and international partnerships in addressing evolving global and regional security threats.
Speaker Abbas emphasized the role of intelligence sharing, joint training, and technological advancement in strengthening Nigeria’s defence architecture. He also highlighted the government’s commitment to tackling security challenges through policy reforms under the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
He noted that food security, cyber defence, environmental sustainability, and energy security have become central pillars of national resilience. According to him, cybercrime remains a growing concern, prompting the government to pursue a robust cyber defence framework, supported by legislation and collaboration with private sector actors.
The Speaker outlined key security challenges confronting the country, including insurgency in the North East, banditry and kidnapping in the North West, farmer-herder clashes in the North Central region, oil theft in the South South, and separatist agitation in the South East. He assured the audience of the Federal Government’s ongoing efforts to counter these threats through coordinated security operations and development-focused initiatives.
Rear Admiral Steve Dainton (rtd), leader of the RCDS delegation, said the team’s visit formed part of a strategic tour of West Africa aimed at enhancing cooperation and aligning curricula between RCDS and NDC. He praised the NDC’s professionalism and expressed appreciation for the opportunity to deepen understanding of Nigeria’s security environment.
In his remarks, the Commandant of the National Defence College, Rear Admiral Olumuyiwa Olotu, commended Speaker Abbas for supporting the institution and reaffirmed the NDC’s dedication to international defence collaboration, policy engagement, and leadership development. He noted the College’s ongoing role in training senior officers from Nigeria and allied nations since its establishment in 1992.
The event was attended by members of the House of Representatives, senior government officials, the British High Commissioner to Nigeria, Dr. Richard Montgomery, the British Defence Attaché, Brigadier General Thomas, and other dignitaries.
