The Institute  of Governance  and Development  Studies Nasarawa State University, Keffi recently undertook a one day study  tour to the Office of the National  Security Adviser (ONSA). The visit was  led by Prof. Andrew Zamani, Director of the Institute. In the entourage were Dr. Usman Alhaji Yusuf, Deputy  Director  of the Institute, Dr Faeren Alaigbe, a  Sabbatical  Staff of the Institute and forty-four doctoral students  of Security  and Strategic  Studies.

They were received  by the National Coordinator  of  the National Counter Terrorism  Center Major General Adamu Garba  Laka on behalf of the National Security Adviser.  He led a team of Directors of ONSA to acquaint  the students  with the operations of ONSA.

Therefore the visit afforded the students the opportunity to interact with officials of the nation’s coordinating Security agency on issues of cyber security, arms control, preventing and countering violent extremism and economic financial  crimes.

The National Security Adviser  applauded the initiative  of Nasarawa  State University to interface with relevant public service agencies on their subjects of study.  He was particularly impressed with the Institute’s  consistency  in providing her students opportunities  to gain hands-on experiences  in their respective courses  of  study.

He espoused  that NCTC had become a regional hub for training and research  on counter terrorism  in Africa. As such, ONSA is looking forward  to  collaborating with the Institute  to galvanize its mandate.

In his response, Prof. Andrew Zamani conveyed the best wishes and compliments  of the Vice-Chancellor, Nasarawa  State University, Prof. Sa’adatu  Hassan  Liman to the National Security  Adviser.

He stated that the purpose of the visit was to expand learning platforms for the students as well as expose them to  challenges that would inspire ttheir selection of topics for their doctoral  research reports. He also hoped that the visit would enable the University  and ONSA to  reflect on how to develop coordinated strategies to integrate all the counter terrorism measures of the Federal  Government.

He assured ONSA that  the Institute had concluded plans to have the Vice-Chancellor  formally present the National  Security  Adviser her research  products in the next few weeks.

Students expressed satisfaction with exposure they got during the visit.

Reported by:

Caiaphas Babrejeh, Secretary to the Institute of Governance  and Development Studies