Former Chief of Army Staff and ex-Minister of Interior, Lt. General Abdulrahman Bello Dambazau (Rtd), would deliver the keynote lecture at the 7th Annual Lecture of Just Friends Club of Nigeria (JFCN).
According to the Organising Committee Chairman, Mrs. Maria Cardillo, the event is scheduled to hold on Tuesday, November 4, 2025, at Bolingo Hotel, Abuja.
The lecture, themed “Nigeria’s Security Challenges and the Quest for National Cohesion: A New Paradigm for Internal Security Architecture and Governance”, comes at a time of heightened public concern over Nigeria’s internal security crisis and the search for lasting solutions to terrorism, communal conflicts, and organized crime.
The Chairman of the event is Prof. Tonnie Osa Iredia, former Director General of Nigerian Television Authority (NTA), a former Director General of National Orientation Agency and founder of Tonnie Iredia University of Communication, Benin City, Edo State
According to Mr. Fred Ohwahwa, the President of JFCN, the high-profile event will provide a platform for deep reflection and policy-driven conversation on how Nigeria can rethink and rebuild its internal security systems in light of emerging national threats.
General Dambazau, who served as Chief of Army Staff from 2008 to 2010 and later as Minister of Interior from 2015 to 2019, is widely regarded as one of the country’s most experienced voices on security matters. A career soldier with a strong academic background in criminology and sociology, Dambazau is expected to deliver a lecture that bridges both theory and practice in national security governance.
He holds a Ph.D. in Criminology from the University of Keele, United Kingdom, and has authored several academic and policy papers on security sector reform, counterterrorism, and civil-military relations.
Ohwahwa explained that the keynote lecture is expected to examine Nigeria’s current security architecture, address its institutional weaknesses, and propose practical reforms that balance law enforcement, intelligence gathering, and community-based approaches. It will also touch on the importance of national cohesion and inclusive governance as tools for long-term peace and stability.
“We are delighted and honoured to host Lt. General Abdulrahman Dambazau (Rtd) at this critical time in our national journey. His wealth of experience and thought leadership in security matters come at a time when the nation is yearning for fresh, pragmatic ideas to address complex internal security threats. We believe his lecture will challenge orthodoxies and offer a bold, coherent vision for Nigeria’s security and unity,” Ohwahwa added.
The lecture will be followed by a high-level panel discussion featuring policy experts, former security chiefs, scholars, and civic leaders, who will provide critical reflections and practical responses to the issues raised in the keynote. The panelists include Air Vice Marshal Gbolahan Adekunle, a former Chief of Training and Operations and also ex-Chief of Policy and Plans of Nigerian Air Force; and Prof. Okey Ikechukwu, Professor of Strategic Management, Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka.
Just Friends Club of Nigeria is a non-partisan network of Nigerian professionals, technocrats, and public-spirited individuals committed to civic engagement, public policy reform, and good governance. Since its inception, the Club has positioned itself as a leading forum for cross-sector dialogue and national thought leadership.
The Club’s Annual Lecture Series is one of its flagship programs, aimed at promoting informed national discourse on critical socio-political and economic issues. Over the past six editions, the Annual Lecture has attracted a diverse audience of policymakers, academics, civil society actors, security experts, youth leaders, and media professionals.
With the topic of national cohesion woven into the conversation, the President of JFCN noted that the event is expected to draw a diverse audience of top government officials, lawmakers, retired military officers, traditional rulers, youth leaders, academics, civil society advocates, and members of the diplomatic community.
