The Chief of Defence Staff, General Christopher Musa, and the Chief of Army Staff, Major Gen. Taoreed Lagbaja, have both affirmed their commitment to safeguarding Nigeria’s security.
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Speaking before the House of Representatives ad hoc committee on screening of service chiefs, General Musa stated that his leadership concept would prioritize troops’ welfare and deepen jointness and inter-agency collaboration in order to defend the country’s territorial integrity and democracy, as well as safeguard internal security and unity.
“I recognize the significance of leading the thousands of devoted and distinguished service men and women to provide a secure and peaceful environment for Nigerian people to freely engage in their legitimate enterprise, in line with the constitutional mandate of the Armed Forces of Nigeria (AFN)”.
“In this regard, the AFN under my leadership will be people-centric by prioritizing and safeguarding our people and their legitimate way of life as prescribed by the Nigerian constitution”.
“I shall also promote international military cooperation/collaboration to further expose and provide capacity building to AFN personnel in joint and combined operations outside the shores of Nigeria”.
“This measure is required to consolidate on AFN welfare priorities in order to effectively deploy, fight and win our nation’s wars by providing ready, prompt and sustained land, sea and air dominance by the AFN across traditional as well as asymmetric conflict settings as part of a joint force”, he said.
Major Gen. Lagbaja, on the other hand, highlighted the challenges faced by the Nigeria Army, which he called the most misunderstood, complex and challenged component of the Nigeria Armed Forces. He pledged to transform the Nigerian Army into a well-trained, equipped and highly motivated force to achieve the country’s constitutional responsibilities within a joint environment. The committee chairman, Babajimi Benson, urged the nominees to cooperate with the National Assembly in ensuring a peaceful, secure, and prosperous country for all Nigerians.
“I consider my nomination as a call to higher responsibilities and I am determined not to betray the trust and confidence reposed in me”.
‘’It is an open secret that our country has faced a challenging security environment in the past two decades. It has impacted adversely on our socio-economic and political lives”.
“The episodic crises of the past have now become enduring, thereby making governance and the rule of law more challenging for successive administrations”.
“Today’s painful reality is that insecurity has distressed our developmental plans and aspirations for a strong, prosperous, globally competitive and influential nation”.
‘’Never in recent time is the requirement for proactive, adaptive and inclusive leadership more needed than Nigeria’s security environment of today”.
“These requirements are what I intend to do as COAS if confirmed. I am mindful that the Nigerian Army, which I am being screened to lead is a crucial component of our military instrument of national power. “It is not only the largest, but the most complex, most geographically spread, most sought after during crisis and often most misunderstood”, he said.
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