National Orientation Agency, NOA, said the armed forces have commenced monthly briefing of Nigerians on security operations.
Director-General of the agency, Malam Lanre Issa-Onilu made the disclosure yesterday in Jalingo at a media briefing to flag-off the Nationwide Enlightenment Campaign on critical policies of the present administration.
Represented by the Director of Special Duties and Zonal Coordination, Mr David Akoji, Issa-Onilu said the Chief of Defence Staff, CDS, General Christopher Musa has directed all the service chiefs to be briefing citizens through the agency.
He said the CDS, under the Renewed Hope Security Architecture, directed the establishment of specialised units of the armed forces, aimed at enabling rapid response.
He added that the armed forces is deploying strategies to tackle the nation’s diverse security challenges.
He mentioned some of the strategies to include the deployment of drones, armoured vehicles, surveillance technologies and the deployment of over 15,000 new security personnel nationwide.
The NOA boss said the monthly briefings, which commenced on August 5 would enable Nigerians have first hand information on the efforts of the armed forces in tacking insecurity.
Issa-Onilu also said that the introduction of the Nigerian Education Loan Fund, NELFUND, by the current administration is to ensure that finance is not an impediment to access tertiary education.
He added that the loan is available to all qualified Nigerians who are schooling in public tertiary institutions.
The director-general also said that the Social Safety Nets Expansion under the Conditional Cash Transfer, CCT, programme had benefited over two million households that were enrolled nationwide.
He also said that Trader Moni and Farmer Moni are being introduced through the Government Enterprise and Empowerment Programme, GEEP.
Issa-Onilu said the enlightenment campaign would be conducted in the 774 local government areas.
Earlier, Taraba State Director of NOA, Mr Zakari Muhammad, said the enlightenment campaign covered government policies, programmes and activities.
Muhammad mentioned National Values Re-orientation for students of secondary schools and tertiary institutions as against “sign out extreme practices”.
He also listed flood mitigation, Nigerian identify project and national symbols, national security awareness towards achieving improved security consciousness in our communities as areas of the campaign.
He mentioned traditional leaders, religious leaders, youth organisations and women as the targets for the campaign. (NAN)
