Senate President Godswill Akpabio has called on the Defence Intelligence Agency (DIA) to strengthen bilateral and multilateral cooperation as part of efforts to enhance Nigeria’s adaptive intelligence capacity against emerging security challenges.
Akpabio made the appeal on Monday in Abuja at the opening of the Chief of Defence Intelligence Annual Conference 2025, themed “The Role of Multi-Source Intelligence Innovation in National Security.” He was represented by the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Defence, Senator Ahmad Lawan.
He noted that shifting global security trends have placed greater responsibility on intelligence institutions to work closely with international partners, share timely information and embrace modern technologies to respond to increasingly complex threats.
According to the Senate President, security agencies worldwide are now relying on layered intelligence systems—ranging from human intelligence and signals monitoring to geospatial analysis, open-source data and cyber intelligence—to derive actionable insights and anticipate risks.
He highlighted the DIA’s central role in building a more responsive intelligence architecture through improved data integration, stronger interagency cooperation and technological innovation.
Akpabio praised the agency for widening the scope of the annual conference to include presentations from Defence Advisers, Defence Attachés and State Office Coordinators, describing the approach as a strategic alignment of domestic and international intelligence perspectives.
“As threats evolve, so must our capacity to collect, process and interpret information across multiple domains in real time,” he said.
He stressed that the Defence Attaché System remains vital to sustaining defence diplomacy, while state intelligence offices provide critical on-the-ground information required to tackle emerging threats.
Akpabio urged Defence Attachés to deepen diplomatic engagements in their host countries and encouraged state intelligence coordinators to strengthen cooperation with local security agencies to improve intelligence gathering and utilisation.
“These partnerships are essential in building a coherent and adaptive intelligence framework capable of anticipating and countering threats,” he stated.
He also called on conference participants to explore the use of artificial intelligence, machine learning and advanced data analytics in intelligence operations, noting that innovation has become indispensable as adversaries increasingly exploit technology.
Akpabio commended the Chief of Defence Intelligence, Lt.-Gen. Emmanuel Undiandeye, for his leadership in reshaping the country’s intelligence system, and acknowledged the contributions of Defence Advisers, Attachés and intelligence personnel across the states.
“Our success in defending Nigeria depends on our ability to anticipate threats, connect information across domains and act decisively on informed insights,” he said.
