The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) participated in a Security Awareness Workshop organised by Absolute Security Consultancy Services from the 25th to the 27th of September 2024. The event took place at the prestigious National Institute for Security Studies, Usuma Dam, Bwari, Abuja.
It brought together key personnel from Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) alongside military personnel, naval officers, police, civil defence officers, and officials from financial intelligence units. Senior figures, including directors and top executives, were also in attendance to engage on critical security issues.
The workshop aimed to sensitize participants to Nigeria’s unique security challenges. The country has a complex array of issues—from terrorism, banditry, kidnapping, oil bunkering, and cybercrimes—and the facilitators addressed these problems head-on, emphasizing the need for a unified approach across various sectors to tackle the security landscape.
The central message highlighted that collective security requires the full commitment of all MDAs, adherence to professionalism, and implementation of best practices.
Some of the key highlights from the workshop included:
- Health First: Participants underwent medical check-ups upon arrival, emphasizing the importance of health and alertness in security-related roles. This demonstrated the organizers’ commitment to ensuring participants were mentally and physically prepared for the training.
- Contemporary Security Threats in Nigeria: Facilitators outlined the major security threats affecting Nigeria’s infrastructure and economy, including Boko Haram insurgency, militancy, oil theft, herder-farmer conflicts, banditry, and kidnapping. A strong focus was placed on cyber security and protecting vital national assets, particularly in light of recent attacks on the Nigerian Transmission Company (TCN) in Yobe and Maiduguri. These examples underscored the growing threats to critical infrastructure and the need for coordinated action.
- Family Safety and Responsibility: The workshop’s key message was that security starts at home. Facilitators emphasized the importance of personal responsibility and the role each family member plays in safeguarding their immediate environment. They also highlighted how family and community safety feed into the broader national security framework.
- Confidentiality and Information Management: The risk of unauthorized information disclosure has increased significantly in today’s digital world. The workshop focused on maintaining privacy and best practices for information management, particularly within government institutions and data centres. Unauthorized disclosures were flagged as severe threats to national security, and participants were urged to adhere strictly to security protocols across all MDAs.
The workshop provided essential tools and knowledge to address Nigeria’s complex security challenges, fostering a culture of professionalism, collaboration, and proactive engagement. It equipped key personnel with strategies to protect national assets and contribute to a safer, more secure Nigeria.
The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) was represented at the workshop by Sabastine Anyia, the 1st Vice President, and Bridget Edokwe, the Publicity Secretary. Their presence highlighted the NBA’s commitment to engaging with other stakeholders on critical national security issues.
As Bridget Edokwe reported on NBA BLOG, the event was not only a success in terms of content but also provided an invaluable platform for exchanging ideas on how Nigeria’s legal and security institutions can work together to safeguard the nation.
