Minister of works and housing, Babatunde Fashola (SAN) has appealed to the office of the Surveyor General of the Federation to collaborate with defence and security authorities to provide the geospatial intelligence required to secure the country.
Fashola who stated this in his keynote address delivered by the head of Department of Cadastral oin the ministry, Robert Coker at the 2022 Survey Coordination and Advisory Board on Survey Training Conference at the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Osun State, on Wednesday, stressed the need to build a strong support for the Armed Forces and other security personnel to achieve atmosphere that will guarantee the security of all and sustainable development.
The minister charged the conference to ventilate on the theme of the conference, “Geospatial Intelligence For National Security” for feasible recommendations that may inform decisions and actions of the government in order to galvanize defence and national security architecture for improved security networks.
In his welcome address, the surveyor-general of the federation, Abuduganiyu Adeyemi Adebomehin stated that his office recently hosted a meeting with representatives of Office of the National Security Adviser, the military and all other security agencies in order to get their surveying and mapping needs.
He noted that when supplied, it would help his office to be able to provide them with geospatial data and products required in their various operations against armed criminals whose activities have culminated into serious security challenges bedeviling the country.
He opined that with the deployment of appropriate techniques, utilising geospatial intelligence in combination with sustained offensive of the military, police and other security agencies against criminals, Nigeria will reclaim durable peace.
The chairman of the event and vice chancellor of Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Prof. Adebayo Bamire, who spoke through the deputy vice chancellor (Administration), Prof 0. M. Daramola, noted that surveying and mapping is the bedrock of any meaningful development.
