March 30, (THEWILL) – Nigeria’s National Security Adviser (NSA), Maj-Gen Babagana Monguno (rtd), has stressed the need to strengthen collective regional response, developing capabilities to tackle regional threats and the development of regional security be vigorously pursued and implemented.
He also underscored the need to deter the expansion of terrorist groups in Eastern Burkina Faso and Southern Mali.
The NSA suggested that the two axes be discussed in the next Accra Initiative Summit and ECOWAS Forum of NSAs.
Monguno made the calls during a visit to Ghana’s Minister for National Security, Honourable Albert Kan-Dapaah, in Accra, Ghana.
In a statement by the Head, Strategic Communications in the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA), Zakari Usman, the NSA also delivered a lecture at the Ghana Armed Forces Command and Staff College titled, “The State of Security in West Africa: Curbing the Spread of Terrorism and Preventing Coup Contagion” to members of the Ghana Armed Forces and students.
In the paper, the NSA underscored the importance of countering terrorism and violent extremism, transnational organised crime, climate change, cyber threats, porous borders and piracy/sea robbery in the Gulf of Guinea.
Monguno congratulated the Minister of National Security on the successful hosting of the maiden edition of ECOWAS Forum of NSAs and advised that the takeaways from the meeting, which included the need to strengthen collective regional response, developing capabilities to tackle regional threats and the development of regional security be vigorously pursued and implemented.
He further expressed worry over the issue of Coup d’états within the sub-region and reiterated the need for vigilance and cooperation.
NSA Monguno, in a meeting with Ghanaian officials deliberated the challenges of maritime security in the Gulf of Guinea and intimated on the successes recorded via the FALCON EYE facility by Nigeria in curbing security threats in the maritime domain.
Monguno called for cooperation among security agencies between Ghana and Nigeria, in tackling the proliferation of small arms and light weapons, herders and farmers’ clashes, cross-border movement of criminals and drug trafficking in the region.
Over the course of his visit, NSA Monguno, met with senior Ghanaian and Nigerian officials, including the Minister of National Security, Hon. Albert Kan- Dapaah, and the Nigerian High Commissioner, His Excellency Ambassador Ibok–Ete Ekwe Ibas.
He also paid a courtesy call on the Vice President of Ghana, Alhaji (Dr) Mahamudu Bawumia.
The NSA also visited the Secretariat of the Accra Initiative (ACRI), where he was briefed on the organisation and its activities.
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