The Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), General Abayomi Gabriel Olonisakin, Monday played host to a delegation of the United States National Disclosure Policy Committee (USNDPC) who are on a familiarization tour to Defence Headquarters and other military formations and establishments in Nigeria.
The visit of the 5-man USNDPC delegation provided a unique opportunity for both countries to deliberate on the protection of security information and the legal framework for the transfer of classified information from the government of both countries to other foreign government. The delegation also pointed out that information shared are of national interest and foreign policies of the two nations.
Speaking during the visit, the leader of the USNDPC delegation, Mr Ryan McCausland, who is also the United States Designated Security Representative, applauded the efforts of the Nigerian Armed Forces, for working within the legal framework. He said the laid down security programme seeks to manage the security of information in the Services and the country at large. Mr McCausland also expressed the willingness of the USNDPC to offer technical and training opportunities for the Nigerian military to ensure adherence to standard operational procedures as it concerns information security.
Responding, the CDS, who was represented by the Chief of Defence Policy and Plans, Air vice Marshal Emmanuel Anebi, thanked the USNDPC Team for the visit and the fruitful discussion. He revealed that the current leadership of the Armed Forces of Nigeria is ever willing to entertain any logistic as well as capacity training on information security. The CDS expressed optimism of a better and stronger bilateral relations between Nigeria and the United States.
