By Biodun Folarin, Abuja

Tukur Buratai, Chief of Army Staff, on Tuesday, tasked nation states to collaborate and synergise to identify new ways to counter and effectively manage the 21st century asymmetric warfare challenges.

Speaking at the opening ceremony of an international seminar organized by the Nigeria Army, with theme ” Managing Asymmetric Security challenges in the 21st century”  in Abuja, Buratai  said there is need to explore new frontiers of knowledge to deeply understand world’s new security threats.

According to him, “To achieving this is through capacity building and training that would enable stakeholders understand the character and characteristics of the actors involved in asymmetric warfare.

He said, “Tackling the challenges of asymmetric warfare will not be an easy task given the enormous resources and the types of strategies required to counter.

“Federal government is receptive towards cooperating with any nation willing to offer assistance in the fight against terrorism.  Already the FGN is collaborating with the government of the USA, Israel, UK, Jordan and Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in capacity building, acquisition, installation an application of technologies in countering terrorism.”

He urged the participants at the seminar to draw lessons from the challenges and peculiarities common to all participating countries to cross-fertilize their ideas and share knowledge on the new asymmetric security challenges.

Gabriel Olonisakin, Chief of Defence Staff, who represented Mansur Dan-Ali, Minister of Defence, noted that managing emerging threats has become a fundamental challenge in view of their globalised and transnational nature which has been compounded by the revolution in information and communication technology.

The Minister said development has significantly transformed the nature of armed groups and their level of sophistication and ability to connect with one another across the globe.

He said, with the rising new threats, no single country can successfully address asymmetric threats in isolation urging nation state to collaborate and synergies with one another.

“Pure military engagement cannot provide sustainable solution to these new threats given the nature of their complexity and root.

“Joined-up political social economic military response that sees the civilian and military actors and agencies working together, as this will be effective, achieving a unity of purpose and complimentary of effort in paramount.” He said

Dan-Ali, expressed need for capacity building and knowledge acquisition towards a better understanding of the nature and character of the 21st century security challenges.

Participants at the seminar included senior military officers from selected countries, other security agents and senior public servants.