2019 National Security Strategy to focus on people over state says Monguno

The National Security Adviser (NSA), Babagana Monguno has said the 2019 National Security Strategy (NSS) would focus on human security over state security.

He said the 2019 strategy document, which is a review of the 2014 National Security Strategy, would be in line with the new notion of National Security which has the ‘people’, and not the ‘state’ as the reference ‘object’.

Monguno who was represented by Aminu Lawal, Director Policy and Strategy, Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA), made this known in Abuja, during the Stakeholder’s Workshop for the Validation Session of the draft National Security Strategy 2019.

He said, “The Strategy will place emphasis on human security in order to enhance the social wellbeing of the citizenry.”

He added that there is the need to address socio-economic concerns such as poverty and unemployment as well as corruption, security and the economy which are the key focal points of government.

He said the ultimate aim will be to employ the instruments of National Power in the most efficient and effective manner, to promote peace and prosperity in a secure and enabling environment.

He said the security of Nigeria remains not just the primary concern of government, but the number one and most important concern.

He noted that Nigeria like most nations have a myriad of security challenges, some of which are peculiar to the country while others are cross border and transnational in nature.

Monguno said Nigeria contends with security challenges which include; terrorism, kidnapping, militancy, small arms proliferation, armed banditry, pastoralists-farmers conflicts amongst others.

He said, “National Security Strategy is important for every nation as it is an overarching document which highlights in broad terms, the geo-strategic environment that encompasses our internal and external threats as well as the corresponding strategies to deal with them.”

Nigeria’s first National Security Strategy was conceived in 2014 and launched in January 2015 to guide, organize and harmonize the nation’s security policies and efforts.

The strategy provides a common framework on which the country should synergies efforts to defeat threats to Nigeria’s interests.