The Security Watch African Initiative (SWAI) has called for intelligence sharing and synergy amongst sub-regional bodies to check insecurity on the African continent.
SWAI, at its 17th annual conference and award ceremony in Banjul, The Gambia, also called for periodic assembly to assess the African security environment. The suggestions are contained in a communique from the three-day conference that had the theme: “Post-COVID-19: Sustaining Security in Africa.”
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The communique was signed by SWAI President, Mr. Patrick Agbambu, and Chief Communique Rapporteur, Sani Usman. The continental body emphasised the need for a unified and an enabling legal framework as well as a comprehensive, all-encompassing strategy to enable the continent tackle causes of insecurity. It also called for a strengthened judicial system to address security challenges across Africa. Participants also encouraged regular meetings of the security councils and commissions of sub-regional bodies such as SADC and ECOWAS, among others.
“African countries should collaborate more and look inward for solutions to address African security challenges. “African leaders should adopt an all-of-society approach, particularly engaging the youths, to address evolving security challenges. “To address maritime security, African Naval formations should strengthen their collaboration and synergy. “African countries should come up with integrated, all-encompassing maritime strategies that are in line with continental and regional security architectures,” the communique said.
It emphasised the need for African countries to strengthen their research and development efforts through training and adequate funding.
“There is a need for the African Union to operationalise the collective security mechanism, particularly the African Standby Force, to address insecurity in Africa,” it added. The participants also restated the need to encourage the media to consider national and victims’ security in their reportage.
Awards:
The award ceremony took place on November 11, 2022, in which military, police, and security personnel from various African countries who distinguished themselves in various spheres of their professions were presented with awards.
Similarly, some African military services were also honoured at the event. Those honoured include Nigeria’s former Chief of Army Staff and Ambassador to Benin Republic, Lieutenant General Tukur Yusufu Buratai (retired), who was given the African Security and Leadership Award, His Excellency, Udom Emmanuel, the Executive Governor of Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria, and his state, which got Nigeria’s Best Security and Safest State Award and Best Governor of West Africa, respectively.
The Nigerian Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Awwal Gambo Zubairu CFR, got Africa’s Most Outstanding Chief of Naval Staff’s Award, while the Chief of Army Staff, Nigerian Army, Lieutenant General Faruk Yahaya CFR, got Africa’s Most Outstanding Army Chief Award, and their Air Force counterpart, Air Marshal Oladayo Amao CFR, was honoured with the Most Outstanding Chief of the Air Staff in Africa’s Award, while Nigeria’s Inspector General of Police, Usman Alkali Baba CFR, was given the Golden Star Award for Exemplary National Police Service in Africa.
The Director General of Gambia’s Department of Immigration, Mr. Seedy Touré, also got Africa’s Golden Star Award for Exemplary Service in West Africa; Ghana’s Inspector General of Police, Dr. George Akuffo Dampare, was given the Most Innovative Police Chief in West and Central Africa Award; and Gambia’s Inspector General of Police, Abdoulie Sanyang, got the Golden Star Award for Outstanding Police Service in West Africa.
Major General Victor Okwudili Ezegwu, Commander of the Infantry Corps of the Nigerian Army, was equally honoured with an award for courage, commitment, and patriotism. While Assistant Inspector General of Police, Eboka Friday, Brigadier General Lar, and Commissioners of Police Abiodun Sylvester Alabi and Kolo Yusuf were honoured with different categories of awards for a variety of outstanding achievements and contributions to peace and security.
The Commissioners of Police, Idowu Owohunwa and Ari Mohammed Ali of the Nigeria Police Force, were equally honoured. Other recipients of awards include Chief Superintendent of Police Elizabeth OLuwatoyin Opadola, who was given the “Best Divisional Police Officer in West and Central Africa Award,” amongst others. In addition, a former Minister of the Federal Government of Nigeria, the late Engineer Bunu Sheriff, was posthumously honoured with an award.
Other awardees include the Force Commander of the MNJTF, Major General Abdul Khalifa Ibrahim, Theatre Commander of Operation Hadin Kai, Major General Christopher Gwabin Musa, as well as the Lagos State Commissioner for Health, Professor Akin Abayomi, Major General Taoreed Abiodun Lagbaja, General Officer Commanding 1 Division Nigerian Army, and Major General Waidi Shaibu, General Officer Commanding 7 Division Nigerian Army.
Similarly, the Directorate of Public Relations and Information of the Nigerian Air Force, was presented with the SWAI Golden Award for Security Information Management in West and Central Africa.
