The Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Taoreed Lagbaja, mentioned that investing in research and development was necessary to overcome the security challenges in the country.
He stated that the insecurity spreading across many parts of the country is changing, and conducting research on them would assist security agencies in staying ahead of criminal groups.
Lagbaja made these remarks at the Nigerian Army seminar on Research Development and Innovation in Abuja on Thursday.
He mentioned, “It is widely known that there is no claiming victory when it comes to research, development, and innovation.
“While the Nigerian Army has achieved progress in its operations, research and development will continue to be an ongoing effort for the Service. This is because the threats we face are evolving and will continue to require security forces to adapt and possibly be one step ahead.”
Lagbaja stated that through research, development, and innovation, the Army created hardware used against Boko Haram due to the difficulty in acquiring them.
He noted, “Through research, development, and innovation, the Nigerian Army was able to significantly address challenges encountered in acquiring necessary hardware to fight the Boko Haram terrorists and other criminal elements troubling the country.
” For example, the Nigerian Army created its first indigenous armoured fighting vehicles, made required spare parts for equipment maintenance, and developed more effective methods of managing its inventories and manpower. ”
Lagbaja, however, promised that the Army under him would invest in research to outpace non-state actors.
He mentioned, “To properly meet expectations and take its rightful place in a joint, combined, or whole agency setting, the Nigerian Army must continue to invest in research, development, and innovation to create new concepts, tactics, techniques, and procedures that would outpace our adversaries by improving its combat readiness and operational effectiveness.”
The PUNCH reports that numerous scholars have advocated for the seamless integration of research and innovation into the ongoing battle against insecurity in Nigeria.
These scholars also pushed for the use of cutting-edge technologies and evidence-based strategies to effectively combat the various challenges of insecurity affecting the nation.
