President Muhammadu Buhari has charged security agencies that would be engaged with various support services in the 2023 general election to maintain a high sense of professionalism.

Buhari urged the agencies to handle the distribution and monitoring of classified materials and other logistics “professionally and in accordance with Standing Operation Procedures”.

Reiterating his earlier directive to security agencies to remain apolitical, the President said they must desist from behaviour that could bring disrepute to their organisations and the country “by compromising the democratic process”.

He said this while commissioning the Defence Intelligence Agency (DIA) newly acquired estate in Idu-Karmo, Abuja, on Wednesday.

On the newly acquired DIA Estate, President Buhari said the befitting accommodation would enhance productivity and coordination of activities of staff of the agency in view of the increasing number of personnel to face new challenges and responsibilities.

“The significance of today’s occasion can be better understood by making the connection between shelter and productivity. This underpins the 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.

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“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,” the President was quoted as saying via a statement issued on Wednesday by his spokesman, Garba Shehu.

Buhari, however, charged the new occupants to ensure the sustenance of the high standard of the facility.

He also acknowledged the efforts of the agency towards meeting his administration’s housing policy of provision of housing to all Nigerians, saying: “The agency’s investment in staff accommodation complements our vision of achieving improved national security.”

President Buhari further commended the Chief of Defence Intelligence (CDI), Major-General Samuel Adebayo, for the laudable achievement.

In his remarks, the CDI thanked Buhari for inaugurating the new estate, noting that the project will always be remembered by the DIA as the President’s legacy gift for the Year 2022.

According to Adebayo, the newly inaugurated staff quarters contain 16 units of 3-bedroom terrace buildings with boys’ quarters and 48 units of 3-bedroom flats.

He added that one of the blocks of 6 units of flats and 2 units of terrace buildings has been furnished as proto-types while the rest would be furnished during the course of the 2023 budget implementation cycle.

Noting that officers of the agency were happy to have the estate as staff residential accommodation, the CDI said the feat would reduce accommodation challenges for staff members in Abuja.

On the operations of the agency, Adebayo expressed appreciation to President Buhari for approving their requests for technical intelligence and advanced technological acquisitions.

He announced that most of the newly procured technical equipment has been deployed and was helping to address the security challenges across the country.

“Few others are at different stages of acquisition and installation. This equipment has contributed immensely to degrading the capabilities of the threat groups in the North-East, North-West, North-Central, and South-East geopolitical zones.

“We intend to intensify efforts to achieve Mr President’s promise of a more secure Nigeria before the end of this administration,” he said.

The Star