Promotions Will Be Reserved For Problem Solvers – Interior Minister Tells Paramilitary Agencies

…As NSCDC Boss Unveils 12 Books On Security Studies

The Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, has said promotions in the ministry and paramilitary agencies will be done based on experience, excellence and the ability to solve problems.

Tunji-Ojo said this on Thursday during an event to launch 12 books written by the Commandant-General of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Ahmed Abubakar Audi, on security studies.

The minister who unveiled the book at the national headquarters of the NSCDC, lauded Audi for taking the initiative while underscoring the importance of research in combating security challenges.

He noted that the insecurity in the country was an ideological problem that can only be solved with a superior ideology

“I have been impressed with the CG since I became minister of interior, the role of research in the enhancement of internal security can never be overemphasized, you cannot guard against what you don’t know, security is like science and that is why when you talk about threats and occurrences, the ability to forecast prospective incidences, is what determines the level of your security

“All over the world security has gone beyond the level of the state running after bad guys and that is why I will set up a paramilitary brain trust to research security issues, knowledge is directly proportional to performance.

“As a minister, I don’t want to focus on the number of weapons you carry, the battle before us is more ideological than physical and you can only defeat an ideology with a superior ideology. What makes your ideology superior is simply superior knowledge which comes from a place of learning,” said the minister.

Tunji-Ojo announced that the approach to promotions in the interior ministry will soon change as priority will be given to foresight and problem-solving.

“I will personally ensure all our agencies have functional libraries and research centres. If the CG can do it, then the officers can do it. The era of promotions by just writing exams might soon be over, your promotion has to be a product of a cocktail of evaluation parameters based on experience, excellence, and your approach to offer solutions to problems.

“If you must be promoted to a DCG you must convince us you have an idea of the challenges of the moment and you are able to envisage problems that are not yet here and proffer solutions.

“The ability to solve a problem before it comes is what leadership is all about,” he added.

On his part, the NSCDC CG, Audi said he wrote the books as part of his contribution to security scholarship in Nigeria.

Audi who co-authored 7 of the books with the President of the International Academy for Gender and Peace, Professor Terhemba Tyoor, said he hopes his research will contribute to policy, studies and jurisprudence in the knowledge of Security studies.

According to the CG, “Nigeria has experienced unique effects from a series of tumultuous global events from the days of slavery, colonialism, independence struggles, post-colonialism, the Cold War, post-Cold War, and globalization, to the current era of the post-September 11 Global War on terrorism.

“Each of these cataclysmic events has affected our security landscape in a peculiar way leading to emerging security threats such as terrorism, cyber crimes (including cyber prostitution), and organized trans-border crimes which have over time, inter-twined and confounded the nation’s security situation.

“This obviously necessitates a critical interrogation of those criminal activities trying to impact negatively on our national landscape. This process, in my view, must involve adequate research and institutionalization of programmes that aim to provide solution to those issues.”