Presidential Think-Tank On Defense, Security Puts Off National Summit To February 28, 2022

The Presidential Think-Tank on Defence and Security has postponed its earlier scheduled National Summit to Monday, 28th February and Tuesday, 1st March, 2022.

The summit, on “Protecting Nigeria’s Critical Infrastructure, Monuments and Business Assets” will hold at the Congress Hall, Transcorp Hilton Hotel, Abuja.

In justifying the postponement of the summit being hosted by the Presidential Think-Tank on Defence and Security in collaboration with the Ashcraft Centre for Social Science Research, Abuja, Dr. Chiakor Alfred, Chief of Strategy, Ashcraft Centre for Social Science Research and Secretary of Planning Committee, explained that it was to give room for inclusiveness of the key stakeholders.

He recalled that the summit was prompted by the “alarming rate and rampant vandalization and destruction of Nigeria’s critical infrastructure and monuments and the unmitigated attacks on critical assets in the Oil and Gas, Telecommunications, ICT, Maritime, Education, Railways, Banking and other resources in the Public and Organised Private Sectors.

He said that the intensity of the multifarious activities of criminals and other related vices like banditry, insurgency, kidnappings, cross border terrorism, and smuggling in arms, etc, constitute national security risks of untold proportions.

According to Dr. Chiakor, “This Summit is therefore, a high priority project that aims to engender diverse Stakeholder synergy for real time management solutions and systemized rapid response strategy; harness expert/operational knowledge and country wide technical support to enhance threat mitigation and desired security outcomes; and explore further capabilities in the fight against banditry, kidnapping and other emergency recoveries.”

He stressed that the Summit is all about building multi Stakeholder confidence, synergy and capabilities with the view to engender investor confidence; encourage cross fertilization of ideas; stimulate Foreign Direct Investment into Nigeria’s productive Sectors as canvassed by Mr President at different international fora; and also boost capital growth and turnkey business development.

He said given the interests indicated by many stakeholders for participation but at more convenient time frame the planning committee resolved to postponed the summit till next year given that this year is being rounded off to accommodate the key stakeholders.