CDS Seeks Deployment Of Communication Satellite

Vice Admiral Ola Ibrahim

With the increasing state of insecurity in the country, the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), Vice Admiral Ola Ibrahim, has called for the deployment of communication satellite to aid security forces in the fight against terrorism, unabated theft of the country’s resources, and all forms of insecurity.

Speaking, Wednesday, in Abuja, at a lecture organised by the National Space Research and Development Agency (NASRDA), to commemorate the launch of the first communication satellite in 1963, the CDS who was represented by Major General A. Adeosun, said; “It is in the time of the present Director General, Prof. Seiidu Mohammed, that we are thinking about a military satellite and we are so excited about it because it is going to save us a lot of lives and it is going to bring a lot of money to the pockets who is supposed to sponsor such things.

“We plead at this moment that we need to be carried along so that we will not be in limbo. We still need more of your input in the maritime environment, as you know majority of the resources that Nigeria is depending on today comes from that environment and there are so many people who are very people unpatriotic who want to take what does not belong to them. If all these can be brought into perspective, you will discover that the military will support you all the way, we will support that.”

According to him, “if you look also at the northern fringes of this country, you will discover also that the border posts are so porous that it will take almost half of the population of his nation lining up shoulder to shoulder to be able to man the entire borders.

“But with the introduction of communication satellite and smart cameras it is going to make us sleep well and be able to protect every Nigerian.”

In his remark, NASDRA Director General, Prof. Seiidu Mohammed said, “You will recall that the then American President, John Kennedy, and the late Nigeria’s Prime Minister, Alhaji Abubakar Tafawa Balewa, had a three minutes conversation on the first of October 1963 on the first geostationary communication satellite.

“That moment is very significant to us for a number of reasons as it shows the interest of Nigeria in the area of space science and technology from the beginning, which also poses an opportunity for us to do a review of where we are.

“And also to know that the country’s prosperity is in research opportunities to benefit from communicant satellite.”

According to him, what actually started like a joke in 1963 today has multiplied to several millions., adding: “We are told by the Nigerian Telecommunication Commission (NCC), that there are over 110 million GSM lines in the country. This is an opportunity to users that all these things are linked to communication satellite.

“For those. Of them asking, what is our business with satellite, they may have to throw away their GSM lines. What that also means is that of these 110 million users, people are behind them, creating wealth for their countries and employing their people. We have a responsibility to create jobs for our people and also remind them that by 2013, the population of West Africa is estimated at about 392 million,” he said.