African News
Matawalle Urges Military to Embrace Innovation, Strategic Foresight In tackling Insecurity
The Minister of State for Defence, Bello Matawalle, has urged military authorities to shift their mindset to embrace innovation, sustainability, and strategic foresight in tackling emerging security threats in the country, as well as addressing logistics and mobility challenges in the military.
Matawalle also assured them that the Defence Ministry, under his supervision, remained committed to championing policies that not only enhance national security but also align with Nigeria’s economic, environmental, and developmental aspirations.
The minister stated this while commissioning over 80 CNG vehicles converted by the Presidential Compressed Natural Gas Initiative (Pi-CNG) for the Defence Headquarters (DHQ) at the Mogadishu Cantonment Parade Ground in Abuja, on Tuesday.
He stated that by transitioning a portion of the Armed Forces’ vehicles to CNG to reduce operational fuel costs and contribute to the national effort, the military authorities were also demonstrating innovation and adaptability in military logistics and mobility.
He said, “I am glad that the military is leading this public sector transition to cleaner energy. It is important to note that this transition is not a one-off event but the beginning of a long-term systematic change.”
The minister tasked the military high command to also focus attention on building supporting infrastructure, including CNG refuelling stations across military bases, and training technological personnel to maintain their systems.
The Armed Forces, he stressed, must plan for the seamless integration of sustainability and sustainable energy solutions into logistic operations and procurement.
He stated that this milestone would not have been possible without interagency cooperation and the robust support of partners in the energy and automotive industries
He applauded the Defence Headquarters, the Chief of Defence Staff, and the Services for embracing this initiative with commendable enthusiasm.
The Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), General Christopher Musa, said the introduction of CNG vehicles into the Defence Headquarters fleet was a clear demonstration of the federal government’s dedication to reducing carbon emissions, enhancing fuel efficiency, and ensuring cost-effective service delivery.
“Unlike traditional fuel sources, CNG offers a cleaner, safer, and more affordable alternative, aligning our mobility strategy with global best practices in sustainable development.
“Hence, this initiative is directly aligned with the Renewed Hope Agenda of the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, which prioritises innovation, energy efficiency, and sustainable development,” General Musa said.
He stated that the transition would enhance the operational effectiveness of the Nigerian military while supporting national development goals.
Earlier, in his welcome address, the Chief of Defence Logistics, Major General John Ochigbano, recalled that the federal government introduced the presidential initiative on compressed natural gas with the primary objective of transitioning Nigeria’s transportation and critical energy base from petrol to natural gas.
The transition, he stressed, was from petrol to cleaner and more affordable CNG as an alternative.
In his goodwill message, the Chief Executive Officer of the Presidential Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) Initiative, Michael Oluwagbemi, promised to stand with the armed forces of Nigeria to achieve their objectives in migrating to cleaner and more cost-effective energy.
Meanwhile, troops of the Joint Task Force North East Operation Hadin Kai killed no fewer than 10 Boko Haram/Islamic State West African Province (ISWAP) terrorist fighters during a recent coordinated operation in their hideouts in the southern Lake Chad region of Borno State.
Acting Deputy Director of Army Public Relations, Headquarters, Theatre Command, Operation Hadin Kai, Captain Reuben Kovangiya, in a statement, on Tuesday, revealed that a large cache of arms and ammunition was recovered from the terrorists.
“During the operation, which was conducted between Rann and Gamboru Ngala, close to the Cameroon border at Manawaji, troops made contact with the terrorists. Following the intense firefight, the determined and well-equipped troops eliminated 10 terrorists who, according to intelligence, had been disrupting peace in the general area.
“The gallant troops also recovered a large cache of arms and ammunition, including anti-aircraft ammunition, suspected to have been looted from an earlier attack on the Cameroonian Defence Force in Cameroon.”
Captain Kovangiya stated that while the resilient troops had been commended for the great feat, they had vowed to totally deny the terrorists freedom of action in the general area and sustain an offensive against the terrorists in the entire North East Region, in line with the directives of the Chief of Defence Staff, to achieve the mandate of Operation Hadin Kai.
In a related development, operatives of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Police Command have apprehended three notorious and wanted kidnappers/bandits in Abuja and Kaduna.
The arrest followed the directive of the Commissioner of Police, FCT, Ajao Adewale, to the operatives of the command to rid the Federal Capital Territory and its environs of all forms of criminality.
A statement by the Police Public Relations Officer, FCT Police Command, SP Josephine Adeh, disclosed that the arrest was carried out on 29th June 2025, on the heels of actionable intelligence and a well-coordinated operation led by ACP Victor Godfrey, spanning Wukushi, Mpape in the FCT, and Rigina, Kaduna State.
She stated that Abdulkadir Abubakar of Mpape, FCT, Mohammed Tasiu Sani, 25 years old, of Rigina, Kaduna State, and Suleiman Jibrin, 27 years old, from Sabon-Gayan, Kaduna State, were apprehended during the sting operation.
The suspects, Adeh stressed, were known to operate deadly camps within the forests of Kachia and Rigina in Kaduna State, where victims were held for extended periods, and have been linked to several kidnapping incidents across Jere, Kajuru, and parts of the Federal Capital Territory.
“An operational motorcycle, commonly referred to as a ‘Boko Haram motorcycle,’ was recovered during the operation, and efforts are ongoing to recover more weapons and arrest other fleeing accomplices.
“Suspects are currently in custody and are assisting the Police with further investigations to dismantle their criminal network. Their arrest marks a significant stride in the Command’s effort to restore peace and security across the territory,” she said.
While appreciating the resilience and bravery of the police operatives, the CP urged residents to support his men with credible information in the fight against criminality.
