Dr Kabir Adamu, Special Adviser to the Senate President on Security and Intelligence, has called for the harmonisation of space technology application initiatives in relevant government institutions.This, Adamu said, was to effectively address the emerging and recurring national security challenges and terrorism.
Adamu said this at the Annual Lecture and Conferment of Fellowship Awards organised by the Nigerian Institution of Space Engineers (NISEng) in Abuja.
The lecture, being the sixth edition was organised in honour of the pioneer chairman of the institution, retired Brig.-Gen. Michael Agu, for his immense contributions towards propelling space policy and technology in the country.
The theme of the lecture is “Transportation Terrorism in Nigeria: Implications,Countermeasures and Space Technology Solutions.”
Adamu said that Nigeria had the capability and capacity to address terrorism, adding, ”there is the NISEng, the space agency, as well as Defence Space Administration (DSA).
”Others are Ministry of Communications and Digital Economy, the Nigerian Communications Commission, among other institutions with pockets of ideas to apply space technology.
“Looking at the vision, mandates of the NISEng,NASRDA,the DSA and other organisations,there is the common goal of using space technology for the socio-economic development of citizens.
“We have the capacity, but we just require to harmonise these goals so that there will be a working relationship to address transportation terrorism in the country,” he said.
Adamu also recalled that there was the revamped National Security Strategy of 2019, which highlighted the use of space technology.
Ths, he said, was to address national issues through space education, as well as indigenous security wares production, citing geospatial labs across the country to support strategic planning.
Adamu added, ”implementing the strategy will help our security challenges and that should be spearheaded by the DSA.”
He further recommended the use of Satellite Communication and Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS), that will allow for monitoring of terrorists.
“We need to use high resolution spatial images from remote sensing satellites to check the hotspot locations of terrorists.
“Artificial Intelligence,Big data,Internet of Things are leading in various technologies and will continue to open up niche opportunities for space science and technology in all fields of human endeavours,” Adamu said.
The expert also called for a three tier approach in fighting insecurity which includes national,bilateral and multilateral means.
He said that space technology had emerged as the driving force behind scientific, socio-economic, military and Intelligence supremacy of developed nations of the world.
Adamu said that determinants of transportation terrorism include existence of armed non-state actors, ” with the willingness to commit terrorism,failure to act on intelligence,weak institutional capacity and ineffective justice systems.”
The expert added that implications of transport terrorism results in poor investments, economy failure, and trade,among others,which the country needs to fight against.
Dr Halilu Shaba, Director-General of the National Space Research and Development Agency (NASRDA), recognised that engineering had contributed to the development of space technology.
Represented by Dr Halidu Ibrahim, Director, Ground Station and Mission Control, Shaba commended Agu for creating the platform for sharing of ideas between the military and civilians.
The D-G added that his contributions will be upheld by relevant stakeholders.
Dr George Okpanachi, National Chairman of the NISEng, said that the event will suggest ways the country can leverage space technology to address transportation terrorism.
The News Agency of Nigeria ( NAN) reports that Fellowship Awards were conferred on Dr Olusegun Sholiyi, Director, ,Centre for Space Transport and Propulsion, Epe-Lagos State and Mr Akachukwu Chichebe, Director, Advanced Unmanned Aerial Vehicles Laboratory, Uburu, Ebonyi.
Responding, Chichebe said,”as a fellow of the institution, Nigerians should expect space-based solutions that will address national challenges.”
(NAN)
