By Deborah Coker
The Ministry of Defence has given assurance to Nigerians that it was behind the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), to ensure a peaceful election in the country.
Dr Ibrahim Kana, the Permanent Secretary in the ministry, gave the assurance at a media interaction at the ministry’s headquarters.
Kana also gave assurance that the ministry was behind the electoral umpire to ensure a peaceful handing over on May 29.
While giving an overview of what the ministry would be presenting before Nigerians at a ministerial briefing on Monday, he said it was happy at where the country was presently as far as security was concerned.
He noted that the scorecard of defence and security in the country was most important, according to the Minister of Information.
He noted that the synergy among the three military services could not be over-emphasised which had resulted in great successes recorded in fighting security challenges in the country.
According to him, the synergy among the military services has improved, and the minister is in charge, as he is responsible for harmonising all the services.
“Therefore he takes responsibility for all their activities, and he has continued to admonish them to work together.”
The PS also said that the military had helped in uniting Nigerians, irrespective of region or creed.
“That is also represented in recruitment, as recruitments are distributed across all the states,” he said
He, however, said that in the area of harnessing local equipment production, the country was yet to tap one per cent of it.
According to him, defence equipment are major sources of revenue and employment to any country.
“Nigeria has not tapped one per cent of it. But the president is very interested in local production.
“This is because there is need for us to be self sustaining; let our children gain employment; let us be exporting and gaining foreign exchange for our country.”
Kana, however, admonished the media to talk more of the successes recorded by the military in all ramifications rather than projecting them negatively.
(NAN)
