The Deputy Comptroller General Immigration in charge of Passport, DCI Sada Hassan, the spokesperson of the Nigeria Customs Service, CSC Abdullahi Maiwada and the Police Spokesperson ACP Olumuyiwa Adejobi were among the recipients of annual security and communication awards.

A total of 29 glittering awards were presented to eminent Nigerian security personnel, agencies, public relations experts, organisations (both public and private), seasoned communicators and university students, among others, at the 2023 Security and Emergency Management Awards (SAEMA) and the Spokespersons' Communication Awards (SCA).

The awardees were those who distinguished themselves in their various fields of endeavours in the year under review.

The SAEMA event, in its fifth (5th) edition, was held alongside the 3rd SCA at the NICON Luxury Hotel in Abuja on Thursday.

The event was themed, "Artificial Intelligence: Effective Communication for National Security", with Mallam Kashifu Inuwa Abdullahi, the Director General of the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), delivering the keynote speech at the event.

Speaking on “Artificial Intelligence: Effective Communication for National Security”, Mal. Kashifu Inuwa maintained that Nigeria can leverage artificial intelligence to enhance its national security for socio-economic growth and human capital development.

He said: “Like other world nations, Nigeria can also harness the potential of the cutting-edge artificial intelligence, aided by effective communication systems, processes and mechanisms, to tackle its insecurity crisis, once and for all.”

The Minister of Information and National Orientation, Alh. Muhammad Idris Malagi, appreciated the SAEMA/SCA convener for hosting the auspicious event, while also honouring hardworking, selfless and patriotic Nigerian security officers, agencies and spokespersons of various organisations.

The Information Minister, who was represented by Mallam Jibrin Baba Ndace, the Director General of the Voice of Nigeria (VON), assured that the federal government remains committed to remodelling the country’s ‘battered image’ in the global community, urging PRNigeria and other media organisations in the country to lend their supports.

Commending the winners of the various categories of the award, the President of the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations (NIPR), Dr. Ike Neliaku, used the occasion to inaugurate the organising committee and the jury for the National Spokesperson Awards, which will be held in partnership with IMPR. The Chairmanship of Committee is chaired by the former Chairman Lagos Chapter of the institute, Mr. Segun Mcmedal.

While welcoming guests to the award ceremony, Mal. Yushau Shuaib, the Managing Director of Image Merchants Promotion Limited, the Publisher of PRNigeria, Emergency Digest and Economic Confidential, explained that their SAEMA event recognizes outstanding gallantry contributions to Nigeria's safety, security and emergency management.

“On the other hand, the Spokespersons’ Communication Award (SCA), which debuted in 2021, recognizes the most outstanding public relations campaigns and communication strategies by professionals, groups and institutions.

“While we shall be giving out 13 awards in the SCA category today, we received 139 entries earlier. Also, I am happy to inform you that our SAEMA has become a household name among security agencies, stakeholders, and experts. We received 171 entries this year, out of which we had to work round the clock to come up with two finalists for each of the 16 categories,” he said.

In partnership with the NIPR, Mal. Shuaib disclosed that the SCA has been renamed the National Spokespersons' Awards, with its inaugural edition taking place in March 2024.

Among the winners are the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA (Crime Prevention); the Federal Road Safety Corps, FRSC (Emergency Management); the Department of State Services, DSS (Public Information); the Nigerian Air Force, NAF (Community Service); the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission, ICPC (Diligent Investigation); and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC (Cybercrime Prevention).

There are also DCGI Sada Hassan (Media-Friendly Personality); Brig Gen U. V. Unachukwu (Gallantry), Late Major Segun Abiodun Oni (Gallantry); Bamidele Makinde (Security Officer); Late Flight Lieutenants Adamu Ibrahim, Anthony Duryumus and others (Military Officer); Integrated Indigo Limited (Agency of the Year); Prof. Boniface Obiefuna (Scholar of the Year);

Others include CSC Abdullahi Maiwada, the spokesperson of the Nigeria Customs Service, NCS (Spokesperson of the Year); ACP Olumuyiwa Adejobi, the Nigeria Police Force spokesperson (Crisis Communicator); and Commandant Olusola Odumosu, Commandant, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, NSCDC, Federal Capital Territory, FCT Command (Law Enforcement Officer), Mr. Odita Sunday, the Defence Editor of the Guardian newspaper (Defence/Humanitarian Journalist);

Other recipients are The Borno State Government (Social Media); Nile University, Abuja (Young Communicators); the Kano NIPR Chapter (NIPR Chapter of the Year); the Lagos Chapter of the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations, NIPR (Event Management); Mr. Christian Aburime, the Chief Press Secretary, CPS, to Governor Charles Soludo of Anambra State (Media Relations); Mr. Onugwu Mohammed, the Chief Press Secretary, CPS, to Governor Yahaya Bello of Kogi State (Crisis Communication); Cyber Politics: Social Media, Social Demography and Voting Behaviour in Nigeria (Publications); and the Defence and Police Officers Wives’ Association, DEPOWA (Humanitarian Service).

The rest are Nigeria Immigration Service, NIS (Training Institute); Deep Cover Guard Security Company (Private Security Company); Beloxxi and Company Limited, BLC (CSR/Community Relations); The School of Impactful Communication, TSIC (Knowledge Hub) and the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN (Corporate Communication). (By PRNigeria)

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