Magashi said this at the opening of the 12th National Security Seminar of the Alumni Association of the National Defence College (AANDEC) on Tuesday in Abuja.

The minister said Nigeria could not afford to maintain the status quo when warfare had transformed at a fast pace alongside rapid technological development, thereby impacting the means and methods of warfare.

He announced that the Defence Industries Corporation of Nigeria (DICON) had made strides recently, manufacturing drones, light weapons, vehicles and Mine-Resistant Ambush Protected (MRAP) vehicles.

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According to him, these efforts and other similar initiatives need to be accelerated through rapid implementation of appropriate governmental policies geared towards the technological development of the security sector.

Magashi said the armed forces and various security agencies had established research and development centres as well as cyber security outfits that had come up with worthy initiatives and products.NYSC Portal

“In this regard, the Defence Research Development Bureau (DRDB), the Defence Space Administration and other technology-driven agencies’ efforts to improve security operations are commendable steps in the right direction.

“Our security forces have performed well in international operations and at home, they can do even better by improving their level of performance with the use of technology, especially since criminals and terrorists are applying technology in their nefarious activities.

“Improved situational awareness is often made possible by technology.  It is time to demystify the forests being a haven for criminals.

“It is time to dominate cyberspace and deny the cyber criminals of its illegal use without detection and arrests.

“It is time to ensure that the security agencies can effectively collaborate and support each other in defending the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Nigeria.