The Ministry of Defence plays a pivotal role in ensuring national security and the effective functioning of the Armed Forces of Nigeria. Thus, the primary objectives of the Ministry include national defence, formulation of defence policies, defence intelligence, defence diplomacy, defence industry development, defence cooperation and civil-military relations. On 21 August 2013, Dr Bello Mohammed Matawalle MoN, assumed office as Honourable Minister of State for Defence (HMOSD) after his appointment by the President, Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces and his confirmation by the legislative arm. The Minister immediately sprang into action considering the prevailing security concerns in the country and in line with one of the major key points of the renewed hope agenda of Mr President which is to “protect all Nigerians from danger and from the fear of danger”. Accordingly, Dr Bello Matawalle has been relentless in his effort to improve the capability of the Nigerian military.
Dr Bello Matawalle, as HMOSD has continuously engaged relevant stakeholders including the military leadership through strategic initiatives and actionable policies. Under his visionary leadership, it is safe to say that the Nigerian Armed Forces has witnessed a paradigm shift in its approach to tackling insurgency, terrorism, banditry and other forms of criminality. Combined with a his experience and deep understanding of the complex challenges facing the Nation, Dr Bello Matawalle has improved the operational effectiveness of the Armed Forces of Nigeria(AFN). The HMOSD has also implemented policies and constituted reforms as well as established and strengthened alliances that have positively impacted the effectiveness of the Nigerian Military.
ENHANCED OPERATIONAL EFFECTIVENESS OF THE ARMED FORCES
The current leadership of the Ministry of Defence, is determined to adopt and maintain a strategy that would enable the Nigerian Armed Forces to achieve its goals in line with the renewed hope agenda of Mr President. Accordingly, within the first few weeks of his appointment as HMOSD, Dr Bello Matawalle convened a meeting with service chiefs to discuss the adoption of better strategies to deal with terrorism and other forms of criminalities bedeviling the country. He charged service chiefs to improve on synergy and intelligence sharing while he canvassed for additional funding from the executive and legislative arms. In line with this directive, the services adopted a collaborative approach towards intelligence gathering and sharing where information gathered is analyzed and promptly disseminated. This aided the prompt identification of terrorist kingpins and their criminal networks and has ultimately forced a decline in civilian deaths, increased the quantity of recovered weapons as well as the number of terrorists surrendering to constituted authority. Specifically in the last 10 months over 2,000 terrorists laid down their arms and surrendered to the Armed Forces while over 200 weapons and 3,000 ammunition across various calibers have been recovered respectively. This new lease of courage and resolve by our troops at the tactical level can be attributed to the political will and decisiveness of Mr President at the grand strategic level, the effective leadership of the Ministry of Defence at the strategic level and resilience of the service chiefs at the operational level.
The Nigerian Navy which is directly under the supervision of the Minister of State for Defence has increased and improved its operational activities as a result of additional funding. This additional funding was a result of the insightful and holistic approach of the HMOSD in defending the Defence supplementary budget in November 2023. Consequently, the Nigerian Navy has been able to conduct intensive maritime patrols in the backwaters and high seas. Responding to the HMOSD’s strict policy on synergy, the Nigerian Navy has improved collaboration with other stakeholders in the maritime domain. The Navy with partners and allies has efficiently utilized surveillance structures such as Falcon Eye and Regional Maritime Awareness Capability to jointly tackle maritime crimes such oil theft, piracy, illegal fishing and marine pollution; thus containing these crimes to a large extent.
The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) has not been left out in attaining tremendous advancements in its operations under the guidance and supervision of the Ministry of Defence. Accordingly, the NAF has achieved significant results in identifying and neutralizing terrorist targets through astute intelligence surveillance and armed reconnaissance missions. It is pertinent to note that the NAF has made crucial breakthroughs in the targeted and precise killing of terrorist kingpins and destruction of their logistics capability thereby degrading their will to fight. Specifically, the NAF in the last 10 months through enduring surveillance and intelligence has targeted and killed over 10 terrorist/bandit kingpins through air strikes. The NAF’s continual improvement in operational efficiency can be attributed to the commitment of HMOSD’s to ensuring the jointness of the armed forces in the planning and execution of missions. There is no doubt that the Minister’s strategic guidance played a pivotal role in transforming the NAF into a formidable fighting force. Ultimately, prompt intelligence sharing and coordinated operations have strengthened the counter-terrorism initiatives of the Armed Forces of Nigeria and produced tangible outcomes.
POLICIES AND REFORMS
One of the Dr Bello Matawalle’s initial actions as HMOSD was hosting a meeting with veterans to enlighten them on the benefits of the Defence Health Maintenance Scheme (DHML). A total of 14 veteran groups from across the country were in attendance. The HMOSD appreciated the sacrifices of Nigerian veterans, noting that they have done so much for our nation. He reassured them that he will always prioritize their interests. The meeting with the veterans served as an avenue to clarify certain misconceptions about the DHML and discuss ways of improving the health insurance benefit package for veterans. Stemming from resolutions from the meeting, the Minister directed that a meeting between DHML stakeholders and veterans should be held every quarter. This would serve as a medium to address pertinent issues concerning the health management of veterans regularly. The HMOSD is currently canvassing for additional funding for military health care services despite the various competing needs of the Ministry. The objective is to ensure proper insurance coverage for all military personnel and improve the management of the health insurance scheme.
As the Minister supervising the Defence Industries Corporation of Nigeria (DICON), Dr Bello Matawalle is facilitating significant policies and reforms in the industry to enhance production. One of such policy is facilitating the passage of the DICON Bill of 2023. The DICON has the mandate to operate, maintain and control factories for production, storage, and disposal of ordnance. The DICON bill will open up the Corporation to joint production of military hardware with various foreign defence industries. In pursuance of the foregoing, the Minister directed that only proposals from prospective defence industries that incorporate transfer of technology as one of the benefits in their proposal will be considered by the Ministry of Defence to collaborate with DICON. Furthermore, the Honourable Minister of State for Defence directed DICON to increase the production of Small Arms and Light Weapons for the AFN through partnerships with verified indigenous companies.
It is pertinent to mention that the impact of these policies would ultimately result in reduced production time, reduction in defence spending and foster public trust. Additionally, these reforms would bolster human capacity development and build Nigeria’s technology base while improving and modernizing the nation’s military inventory in line with one of the key points of the renewed hope agenda of this administration.
DEFENCE DIPLOMACY AND ALLIANCES
One of the HMOSD’s key drivers is forging profitable alliances and partnerships that would be beneficial to the defence sector and the nation at large. Accordingly, the Minister since assuming office has met with various defence allies. In October 2023, the HMOSD hosted the Danish Ambassador and his entourage at his office. The meeting with the Danish Ambassador focused on identifying new areas of cooperation and strengthening existing partnerships in defence and security. During the meeting, the Minister and the Ambassador exchanged views on the current regional and global security challenges and explored opportunities for collaboration in the fields of defence technology, military training, and joint exercises. The highlight of the meeting featured discussions to expand the longstanding partnership between Nigeria and Denmark in Maritime Security.
The Gulf of Guinea Commission (GGC) was established to promote cooperation, sustainable development, and security within the Gulf of Guinea (GoG) region. The objective of the Commission is to create conditions of confidence, peace and security that are conducive to the harmonious development of member states. The GGC also jointly addresses common challenges, such as maritime security, illegal activities at sea, environmental protection, and socio-economic development. In line with the objective of GGC, the HMOSD facilitated the formation of the Gulf of Guinea Maritime Task force. He further enabled the appointment of a Nigerian Navy officer as Task Force Commander and ensured the headquarters of the task force was domiciled in Nigeria. The HMOSD also recently undertook a trip to Gabon to review and fortify areas of common interests in the fight against insecurity in the Gulf of Guinea (piracy, banditry, illegal fishing, marine pollution and human and drug trafficking).
The HMOSD chaired a joint meeting between the Governor of Borno State, representatives of the Ministry of Defence and the United Nations Mine Action Service (UNMAS). As fall out of the meeting, the Governor of Borno State designated and approved a building in Maiduguri, Borno State as headquarters for the National Mine Action Centre and Improvised Explosive Devices. This move has proven Nigeria’s commitment to UNMAS considering Nigeria is a signatory to the Anti Personnel Mine Ban Convention. In furtherance to operationalizing the newly established National Mine Action Centre, the HMOSD hosted a meeting with the Director of UNMAS, New York, Ms Ilene Cohn in the first quarter of 2024. The Director appreciated the HMOSD for creating the enabling environment for UNMAS to partner with MOD in establishing the National Mine Action Centre in North East Nigeria. Accordingly, the Director pledged to replicate the support that UNMAS has continuously enjoyed from the Ministry of Defence by equipping and training of more IED/EOD personnel in the police and civil defence to respond adequately to threats in the region.
In December 2023, the Minister of State for Defence visited the United States of America. The objective of the visit was to assess the products of some defence companies as well as ascertain the capabilities of these companies to meet the defence needs of the AFN. The visit was also aimed at advocating for more support from the United States to fight insecurity in the West African sub-region. As part of his engagements in the United States, the Minister held a fruitful meeting with the distinguished US Congresswoman, Betty McCollum, a member of the subcommittee on appropriations in the US Congress. The objective of the meeting was to discuss strategies for strengthening the bilateral defence relationship between Nigeria and the United States. During the meeting, the Minister and the Congresswoman discussed shared security interests, including defense policy, information sharing, and military cooperation. Emphasis was placed on identifying opportunities for joint training exercises, technology transfer and collaborative defense initiatives aimed at enhancing regional security and defense capabilities. Both parties reaffirmed their dedication to strengthening diplomatic and military ties and commitment to promoting interoperability and cooperation between their respective defense forces. It is pertinent to mention that as evidence of a fruitful engagement, the HMOSD received a letter of appreciation from the distinguished Congresswoman who wrote to reaffirm the commitment of the US government to strengthen the bilateral defense relationship with Nigeria. The contents of the letter reinforced the importance of sustained cooperation in the defense and security domains.
As Minister of State for Defence, Dr Bello Matawalle has been steadfast in his commitment to modernizing the Nigerian Armed Forces and fostering strong defence partnerships worldwide. The Minister embarked on a significant visit to Turkey in the last quarter 2023. The visit entailed an inspection of military hardware currently in production for the Nigerian Armed Forces and also provided an opportunity for the Minister to bolster the defence ties between Nigeria and Turkey. During the visit, the HMOSD had the opportunity to witness firsthand the progress and quality of military equipment being manufactured for the Nigerian Armed Forces. This includes state-of-the-art helicopters, naval vessels and other critical defense equipment. The equipment currently being produced in Turkey will be utilized by the 3 services once delivered. This visit underscores the HMOSD’s commitment to modernizing the defence capabilities of the AFN and deepening bilateral cooperation with Turkey in the field of national security. Stemming from this visit the respective defence companies have fast tracked delivery of defence equipment. It is pertinent to note that less than 5 months after the visit, the Nigerian Air Force received its helicopters from Turkey and has commissioned them into service. In the same vein on 19 April 2024, the First Lady, Mrs Oluremi Tinubu accompanied by the HMOSD and the Chief of Naval Staff commissioned 2 offshore patrol vessels in Turkey for the Nigerian Navy; thus, increasing the capability of the Navy and the Armed Forces by extension. The Minister during both visits explored avenues for increased technology transfer and defense industry cooperation between Nigeria and Turkey. Recognizing Turkey’s prowess in defense manufacturing, the HMOSD leveraged the existing military partnership between Nigeria and Turkey to bolster Nigeria’s defense industrial base. This collaboration is already yielding positive results by enhancing self-reliance and fostering economic growth and job creation in both nations.
The HMOSD being the supervising Minister of the Defence Intelligence Agency is spearheading a comprehensive cybersecurity strategy for the defence sector. The cybersecurity strategy will effectively protect critical defence infrastructure, mitigate cyber threats and ensure the integrity of sensitive defence information. This will safeguard national security and prevent potential disruptions or breaches in the defence network.
The HMOSD on 3 February 2024 attended a global meeting of Defence Ministers in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The meeting focused on realizable strategies to coordinate and support military operations against terrorism and counter terrorism financing and ideology. In the landmark meeting, the Honourable Minister of State for Defence, Dr Bello Mohammed Matawalle alongside other members of the coalition discussed workable initiatives to dismantle terrorist networks and disrupt their operations in Nigeria and the Sahel region. The HMOSD in his address to fellow members of the coalition explicitly noted that, “The threat of terrorism continues to evolve, becoming more complex and widespread. It is therefore imperative that we, as a coalition, stand side by side, combining our resources and expertise to protect our nations and maintain global security. Pertinently, it is worthy to reinforce Nigeria’s commitment and the need for a deeper level of partnership in the areas of intelligence sharing, technical support and training for enhancing regional and national security.’’ It is gratifying to note that all defence ministers in attendance pledged their support and cooperation to fight terrorism jointly in all member states.
Through these diplomatic negotiations and collaborative defence agreements forged by Dr Bello Matawalle, Nigeria’s regional and global influence is being significantly strengthened. Also, the HMOSD’s patriotic engagements with allies have facilitated prompt intelligence sharing and appropriate responses to regional and global security challenges.
INTERAGENCY COLLABORATIONS
By leveraging the expertise and resources of different ministries, the Ministry of Defence plans to adopt a comprehensive and unified approach to safeguarding national security and protecting critical infrastructure. Accordingly, the HMOSD closely partners with the leadership of other Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) to achieve national security objectives. In line with interagency collaboration, Dr Bello Matawalle in the first quarter of 2024, paid a courtesy visit to the office of the Comptroller General of Immigration. As a fallout of the visit, the HMOSD is working with the Honourable Minister of Interior (HMOI) to establish a passport data capturing centre for members of the Armed Forces of Nigeria and their immediate families. This initiative was informed based on the fact that members of the armed forces frequently travel overseas for courses and other training related engagements; hence, the need to ease the passport data capturing process for members of the Armed Forces. The facility is projected to be domiciled at the Headquarters Defence Intelligence Agency, Abuja. It is expected that this effort will further improve the existing synergy between members of the armed forces and immigration service as well as improve their operational effectiveness.
In another move to improve the lives of veterans, Dr Bello Matawalle, being the supervising minister of the Military Pension Board (MPB) is currently liaised with relevant agencies to digitalize the pension verification of military pensioners. The MPB is responsible for administering the benefits of retired and deceased personnel of the Armed Forces of Nigeria. To efficiently carry out this responsibility, the Board conducts annual physical verification of veterans to confirm eligibility. This exercise would require the physical presence of veterans at various verification centres all over Nigeria. However, the HMOSD observed that this exercise could be very stressful and inconveniencing for numerous veterans who are well advanced in age and managing health issues. Furthermore, some veterans who are overseas would have to travel back to Nigeria for the exercise annually. Considering the current security challenges and the economic realities bedeviling the country, the HMOSD identified the national identification number and Bank Verification Number as a means of electronically authenticating veterans at home and abroad. It is pertinent to note that this initiative has been implemented and has eased the burden on veterans, further improve interagency collaboration while taking advantage of emerging technology.
Defence industry cooperation of Nigeria (DICON), locally manufactured 20 armored personnel carriers (APCs), in a bid to reduce foreign dependency in defence equipment, the vehicles was handed over to chief of Defence staff Gen C.G Musa OFR.s