Security: NISS Course 15 Participants Visit Kwara

Faculty members and participants of Course 15 of the National Institute for Security Studies on Monday began a week-long study tour of Kwara State.
Receiving the delegation in Ilorin, Governor Abdul Rahman Abdul Razaq gave a blow-by-blow account of socioeconomic, security and environmental issues affecting the state.
Abdul Razaq informed them of myriad of problems facing the state, including deforestation and flooding, oil and gas, cleaner energy, security and poverty.
He however told them that his administration had introduced social investment programme to reduce socioeconomic crises; infrastructural deficits and ongoing efforts to bridge the gap.
On insecurity, the governor listed mining, agribusiness, climate change, transhumance, grazing reserves, and herders-farmers’ crisis; activities of non-state actors and the efforts of his government to deny them a toehold in Kwara.
The Tide source reports that discussion with the delegation was later held off-camera because of its connection to national security.
The Faculty Team Lead of NISS Course 15, Mr Emmanuel Esomonu, described the rare insights offered by the governor on the issues as truly eye-opening and overwhelming.
“This goes to show how truly prepared and knowledgeable you are for this important office, Your Excellency,” said Esomonu.
The participants, comprising top security officers and high-ranking public servants, are on a tour of Kwara as part of their 10-month course in the institute, leading to the award of Fellow of Security Institute.
Esomonu, who is the Head of the delegation and Syndicate Supervisor, said the team is seeking to know how the state government is tackling the issue of climate challenge such as deforestation and other ecological problems.
“This syndicate three is one out of the five syndicates that make up this year’s course. Other syndicates are in other parts of the north undergoing the same tour.
“At the beginning of every year, the management of the Institute selects a topic of study.
“We will be interested in how the state government is tackling the issue of climate challenge in the state with particular reference to issues of farmers-herders clashes, deforestation and other ecological problems that confront the state.
“It is hoped that in the one-week that we will be staying here, we will gather enough to assist the participants to deepen their knowledge in this area of knowledge,” he said.
A research fellow in the Institute, Veronica Joshua, explained that the course fosters interagency synergy and international cooperation among the participants as well as helps in addressing the ever-dynamic complex of security challenges in their respective countries.