Strong family values key to national security, says NOA DG
The Director-General of the National Orientation Agency (NOA), Mallam Lanre Issa-Onilu, has emphasised the critical role of strong family values in safeguarding national security, asserting that the stability of the home directly impacts the stability of the nation.
Issa-Onilu made the call on Monday while speaking at the opening ceremony of the 2025 edition of Haske Biyu, hosted by the Armed Forces Command and Staff College (AFCSC) in Jaji, Kaduna State.
Describing the family as the “first school of citizenship,” the NOA boss stressed that core values such as discipline, empathy, and responsibility are first instilled within the home. According to him, when families are grounded in love and structure, they raise responsible citizens who contribute meaningfully to national development.
He warned that the breakdown of the family system often leads to wider societal instability, manifesting in issues such as youth delinquency, drug abuse, cultism, and, in extreme cases, recruitment into criminal and extremist groups.
“Moral neglect, poverty, and a lack of parental guidance create fertile ground for insecurity,” Issa-Onilu said, urging both policymakers and citizens to address national challenges by first addressing family-level dysfunction.
The event brought together key security stakeholders from various Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs), underlining a broad-based commitment to tackling security threats through holistic and preventive strategies.
Haske Biyu is an annual multi-agency initiative focused on collaborative approaches to enhancing national security and social cohesion.
