Minister of Interior Dr. Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, on Wednesday said no country wins a war with defective local intelligence.
The Minister made the declaration during the 2024 budget defence session, before the National Assembly Joint Committee on Interior, in Abuja.
Speaking to the Joint Committee for the outgoing 2023 fiscal year, the Minister said any country that is secured depends on the veracity and integrity of intelligence available from its locals.
He said, “you can have the most equipped arm forces in the world, if its intelligence is defective definitely you cannot win the war.
He cited instances in the America – Afghanistan war, he said the United States has the best of Military equipment, but when the locals refused to give you the support there is very little you can do.
Meanwhile, the Minister has emphasised the need to provide infrastructure and social amenities for the nation’s border communities in order to redirect the loyalty and patriotism of citizens living within such areas from the neighbouring countries as currently obtains, to Nigeria as appropriate.
Dr.Tunji-Ojo, said when he became Minister of Interior, for the fact that he needed to have absolute control of the country’s border, he inaugurated an Inter- ministerial Committee on border management, comprising Federal Agencies and the border Communities to sep up infrastructures for their wellbeing, assured that the committee reports is almost ready.
He said some of these communities at the Nation’s borders are contiguous, adding that the children of such communities attended schools in the neighboring countries and also sought for services from the foreign neighbours, to the extent the children only recite National anthem and pledge of those countries.
He warned that naturally the patriotism and loyalty of those communities would go to the foreign nations, at the detriment of Nigeria. He said their socio-economic and political lives of these people would adversely be influenced by the foreigners.
Present at the Budget defence were the Acting Permanent Secretary, Dr. Peter Egbodo, directors of various departments in the ministry, the Secretary of the Board Alhaji Jafar Ahmad, the CG- Nigeria Security and Civil Defence, Dr Abubakar Audi, CG Correctional Service, Haliru Nababa, CG-NIS, Caroline Wura-Ola Adepoju and CG-Federsl Fire Service, Engr Jaji O Abdulganiyu as well as the Management Staff of the ministry.