President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has directed the immediate development of a comprehensive National Threat Assessment and a rolling five-year Strategic Defence Operations Plan as part of efforts to improve coordination among Nigeria’s defence, intelligence and security agencies.
The directive was issued on Wednesday during the Federal Executive Council meeting at the State House in Abuja.
In a statement, the President’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, said the initiative was designed to establish a unified framework for identifying security threats, setting operational priorities and determining the capabilities required to respond effectively.
Tinubu has constituted a nine-man committee to prepare the strategic defence plan, with his Special Adviser on Homeland Security, Major General Adeyinka A. Famadewa, serving as coordinator and providing secretariat support.
Members of the committee include the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu; Minister of Defence, Christopher Musa; Minister of State for Defence, Bello Muhammad Matawalle; Chief of Defence Staff, General Olufemi Oluyede; Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Waidi Shaibu; Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Sunday Kelvin Aneke; and Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Idi Abbas.
Also on the committee are the Director-General of the Department of State Services, Tosin Ajayi, and the Director-General of the National Intelligence Agency, Ambassador Muhammed Muhammed.
The President said the new framework was necessary to address the evolving nature of security threats and ensure that the country’s security agencies operate from a shared assessment of national risks.
He cited recent joint security operations, including the rescue of pupils and teachers abducted in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State, as evidence of the results that could be achieved through stronger inter-agency coordination.
“The operation demonstrated what can be achieved when our agencies work together with a clear objective and the necessary intelligence,” Tinubu said.
According to the President, security agencies have often assessed operational requirements separately, without adequate reference to a common national threat assessment or a unified medium-term strategy. He said this approach could hamper coordination and lead to inefficient deployment of resources.
The National Threat Assessment is expected to identify Nigeria’s major security challenges, rank them according to urgency and establish the operational objectives required to address them.
The Strategic Defence Operations Plan will then convert those findings into specific operational priorities, including the forces and capabilities required across different theatres, existing capability deficiencies, equipment and logistical needs, as well as timelines for implementation.
The committee is authorised to consult or co-opt officials from other ministries, departments and agencies where necessary.
Tinubu gave the committee 90 days to complete both documents and submit them for his consideration and approval.
Once approved, the Strategic Defence Operations Plan will become the principal medium-term framework for coordinating military and defence operations.
It will also guide the preparation of a multi-year defence expenditure and procurement plan, with funding expected to be aligned with national security priorities and identified operational needs.
The President directed the Secretary to the Government of the Federation and the Office of the National Security Adviser to take immediate steps to implement the directives.
