Chief of Defence Staff harps on Security in North-East, other Regions

By Audu Abba Kurama, Maiduguri 

The Chief of Defence Staff, General Christopher Musa, has reaffirmed the Armed Forces of Nigeria’s commitment to ending insecurity and restoring peace across the country. 

Speaking in Maiduguri, the Borno State capital, during a visit to the theatre of operations, General Musa emphasized that renewed strategies, new leadership, and enhanced equipment are already being deployed to tackle the recent surge in attacks.

“I am grateful for the opportunity to be here in Maiduguri once again after a long time. Just a few weeks ago, I was here alongside the Minister of State, the Minister of Defence, and other service chiefs. Today, we returned in view of the recent developments,” he said.

The Defence Chief confirmed that swift actions have been taken in response to the resurgence of attacks. These include the appointment of a new Theatre Commander, changes in other command positions, and the deployment of additional military hardware.

General Musa attributed part of the rising tension to increased insurgent activity across the broader Sahel region, particularly in Mali, Chad, and Niger. 

“The pressure in these countries has spilled over into Niger and subsequently affected us. But we have the experience, the personnel, and the resolve to respond effectively.”

He assured the public that the recent wave of violence is being decisively tackled.

“I am a strong believer that for us to even have a secure Nigeria we have to also go beyond that to think of physically fencing our borders. To some people it might seem as if it is impossible but I can tell you there are countries that have fenced over 1,500 km stretch and it is when you do that because when you notice that you have a porous area that is giving you consistent problem, find a final solution to it.”

“If you look at the entire Sahel region, the pressure in Mali, Chad and Niger has put a lot of pressure on Nigeria and that’s why you see recent attacks have occurred.

Whatever is going on is just for a short while.”

“Actions have been taken to ensure that we address the series of attacks that is ongoing.

We have seen recently the new theatre commander has been brought in, other commanders to have been changed. Equipments are even being brought in to the theatre.”

“Now for this last week we have addressed it so drastically that it’s going to stop and henceforth there will be positive results from the theatre. And not only this theatre, as we speak, our troops are out there in Sambisa, in Timbuktu, doing operations as we go on.”

“I want to assure the people in Maiduguri, northeast and Nigeria in general that the armed forces of Nigeria is determined, is willing, is committed, is capable of restoring peace and security in Nigeria and we are working towards that.”

According to the CDS, operations are simultaneously ongoing in locations like Sambisa and Tumbuktu, as Nigerian troops carry out missions aimed at weakening terrorist strongholds. He stressed that Mr. President has given a clear mandate to ensure the safety of all Nigerians and that mandate is being vigorously pursued.

General Musa further mentioned that additional navigational tools and platforms, including air assets, are being brought in to bolster the military’s capabilities. “These are just parts of the long-term strategic plans we are implementing to ensure peace returns to every part of Nigeria.”

Addressing the complexities of the insurgency, he noted, “Asymmetric warfare is very different from conventional warfare. Here, we are constrained by the need to protect human rights and avoid civilian casualties, which makes the fight more complex and time-consuming. But we are progressing steadily and with precision.”

He also spoke on Nigeria’s openness to international partnerships, emphasizing that the country is non-aligned and seeks cooperation based on mutual respect.

 “We’ve been in this fight for 16 years. We don’t have all the equipment we need, and we welcome support from any friendly nation. Russia, for instance, has shown commitment, and we appreciate their efforts, particularly during the recent Victory Day commemorations marking 80 years since the end of World War II.”

General Musa revealed that new military assistance is expected not just from Russia but from other peace-loving nations ready to support Nigeria in combating terrorism.

On border security, he disclosed that President Bola Tinubu has directed the Ministries of Defence, Foreign Affairs, and Internal Affairs to collaborate on strengthening border management. “Immigration has begun deploying technology to monitor our borders more effectively. A national census is also underway to help build a robust database that will identify citizens and non-citizens and assist in national security planning.”

He advocated for physical fencing of Nigeria’s most porous borders, suggesting it could start gradually. “Countries have successfully fenced over 1,500 kilometres. We can do it too. It’s part of the permanent solution we need.”