Two Nigerians have been appointed Chairperson of the Committee of Intelligence and Security Services of Africa (CISSA) and Executive Secretary.
The unprecedented and historic appointments put the country at a great position to effectively use continental Intelligence Services to deal with security threats across Africa.
In his reaction, Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Boss Mustapha, promised government’s maximum commitment to ensure that CISSA’s aims and objectives are achieved.
Mustapha spoke on Saturday at the end of the 16th Ordinary CISSA Conference at the National Intelligence Agency (NIA), Abuja.
He commended the Director-Generals and Heads of Africa’s Intelligence Agencies for electing the NIA Director-General, Amb. Ahmed Rufai Abubakar and Hajia Zainab Ali-Kotoko as its Chairperson and Secretary-General respectively.
While Abubakar took over as Chairperson from Amb. B.K. Likando of the Namibian Intelligence Service for a period of one year until the next conference in Cairo, Egypt, Ali-Kotoko replaced Mr. Shimeles W. Semayat, and will run the Ethiopian-based CISSA Secretariat for five years.
Mustapha said: “By your decision, Nigeria has ascended the position of Chairmanship for the next one year and you have also appointed Zainab Ali-Kotoko as the Executive Secretary of CISSA for the next five years.
“As Nigeria assumes the mantle of CISSA’s leadership for the 2019/2020 session, your collective focus should be on promoting shared goals and objectives and maximizing the impact of this organization across Africa.”
“I believe that there is no limit to what we can achieve as a continent when we work together. In today’s globalised world, in which our fate as individuals and countries is increasingly interconnected and interdependent, we really do not have much of a choice but to work together, as you are already doing in CISSA.”
The SGF commend CISSA for leading the way in the fight against corruption and insecurity as reflected in the Conference theme: ‘Illicit Financial Outflows from Africa and Their Impact on National Security and Development’, and “Directors-General and Heads of Intelligence and Security Services, for your sacrifices and devotion towards eradication of the menace”.
He noted that Illicit Financial Outflows (IFOs) and corruption are hydra-headed monsters, with one feeding the other in what is clearly, a symbiotic relationship.
According to him, IFOs thrive on corruption, while corruption enables illicit financial outflows, adding that this relationship is corrosive to our national economies, as well as the social fabric of our societies.
Mustapha said “we must defeat both threats to free Africa’s wealth for the development of our various countries”.
He re-affirmed “the determination of Government to support the vigorous fight against illicit financial outflows and corruption in terms of policies and appropriate legislations”.
“We are not unaware of the enormity of the task but we remain focused and undaunted, bearing in mind the colossal implications of the threat to our national life,” the SGF said.
