A 28 Member Implementation Committee has been inaugurated by the Federal Government to review the National Defence Policy in order to aid the war against Boko Haram Insurgency in the country.
The committee is headed by Air Vice Marshal Mohammed Nda Umaru (retd).
According to Nigerian Tribune, Minister of Defence, Lieutenant-General Aliyu Gusau Mohammed (retd) noted that the current national defence policy was promulgated in 2006 and since then the nation had undergone a lot of transformation in terms of development, as well as security challenges and there were new developments and challenges in the global environment that had direct impact on the country’s national defence and security, hence the need for the review of the policy.
Citing section 14 (2) (b) of the 1999 Constitution and section 14 (2) (c), the minister said that security embodied defence of sovereignty, but the constitution is silent on how the people will participate in the defence of the country and recent challenges suggest that the armed forces of Nigeria have not met the intent of the constitution for adequate and effective arrangements for defence against aggression, maintenance of territorial integrity and the suppression of insurrection.
Gusau also said illegality has result through the ad hoc creation of armed militias to fill the gaps created by the inadequacy of official police and armed forces.
The committee is to submit 12 copies of its draft report on the review of national defence policy to the convening authority not later than 3 months from date of inauguration.