Abuja, Dec. 29, 2022 – President Muhammadu Buhari has advised security agents to remain apolitical during the 2023 general elections.
He said they must conduct themselves professionally and in accordance with Standing Operation Procedures when discharging their duties during the elections.
Buhari gave the advice on Wednesday during the inauguration of the Defence Intelligence Agency (DIA) Estate at Idu-Karmo in Abuja
He said that security agencies would be engaged with various support and assistance in the elections, particularly with distribution and monitoring of classified materials and other logistics.
“I therefore urge you to remain apolitical and desist from behaviour that could bring disrepute to the agency and our country by compromising democracy,” he said.
Buhar commended the efforts of DIA in providing accommodation for its personnel, adding that the efforts could be better understood when making the connection between shelter and productivity.
This, he said, underpinned his administration’s vision for provision of shelter to improve performance as well as comfort for workers, families and communities.
“This commissioning ceremony further avails another opportunity to reaffirm my confidence in the competence, commitment and achievements of the Defence Intelligence Agency’s giant strides achieved across the nation.
“I am confident that these new premises will yield enormous shelter dividends to the Defence Intelligence Agency staff, their families and to the host locality.
“The acquisition of this accommodation is a great leap forward, but the envisaged benefits would be aborted without diligent maintenance.
“I charge you all to ensure the sustenance of the high standard of this facility. This would help realise the value of the enormous resources committed to its acquisition.
“The agency’s investment in staff accommodation complements our vision of achieving improved national security,” he said.
Maj.-Gen. Samuel Adebayo, the Chief of Defence Intelligence (CDI), said he identified three critical areas of consideration for a professional workforce for the agency on assumption of office.
The three areas, according to him, are technical intelligence capabilities, human capacity development and staff welfare, saying the staff quarters acquired will ameliorate the accommodation challenges faced by the agency.
Adebayo said that the facility had 16 units of three-bedroom terrace buildings with boys’ quarters and 48 units of three-bedroom flats. (GBN)
