The Minister of Defence, General Christopher Musa (Rtd), has emphasized that Nigeria’s complex security challenges cannot be addressed by any single service or individual alone, highlighting the need for unity, coordination, and collaboration across all security agencies.
Speaking at the Chief of Army Staff Annual Conference 2025, held Monday at Nebo Hall, Abalti Barracks, Lagos State, Musa noted that the operational capacity of terrorist groups, bandits, and other criminal elements has been significantly degraded across multiple theatres of operation.
“These gains are a testament to the courage of our troops, improved operational planning, and the impact of coordinated joint and multi-agency operations,” he said. “However, the reality remains that no single service, institution, or individual can tackle today’s security challenges alone. Sustained success depends on unity of effort, joint operations, intelligence sharing, coordinated planning, and close collaboration among all security agencies.”
Musa underscored the importance of the human dimension of military service, saying, “As we pursue operational success, we must never lose sight of the sacrifices, welfare, and well-being of our personnel and their families.”
The Defence Minister described the conference as a vital forum for the Nigerian Army to review its operational posture, assess readiness and professionalism, and align its future strategy with national security priorities.
“Nigeria continues to face a combination of terrorism, insurgency, banditry, transnational crime, and other asymmetric threats. These challenges demand sustained strategic focus, clarity of purpose, and adaptive leadership,” Musa said. He added that security remains a cornerstone of President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
The minister affirmed the Ministry of Defence’s commitment to providing strategic direction, policy guidance, and capability development to ensure that the Nigerian Armed Forces remain professional, responsive, and future-ready. He also pledged to strengthen institutional frameworks that promote accountability and effectiveness.
Honouring the memory of gallant personnel who have paid the ultimate price in defence of the nation, Musa acknowledged their families, as well as wounded personnel, emphasizing the government’s sacred obligation to their welfare, medical care, and long-term support.
Musa also commended the Chief of Army Staff, Lt.-Gen. Waidi Shaibu, for his extensive operational experience, particularly in the North-East, and for the leadership he continues to provide.
He stressed, however, that experience alone is not sufficient. “We must continually ask ourselves what more can be done differently to decisively defeat the enemies of the state. We must remain proactive, innovative, and resolute.”
The Governor of Lagos State, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, affirmed that lasting progress is impossible without security and that no security can exist without a disciplined, professional, and capable military.
He praised the Nigerian Army for evolving in response to complex threats—including terrorism, insurgency, banditry, and transnational crime—through intelligence-led operations, inter-agency cooperation, and modernization efforts.
Sanwo-Olu expressed pride in the Army’s ongoing restructuring, adoption of new platforms, enhanced training doctrines, and renewed focus on professionalism, noting that these efforts reflect a deliberate repositioning of the Army as a modern, constitutionally guided force. He also reiterated the Lagos State Government’s steadfast support for the Army, both within the state and nationwide.
Lt.-Gen. Shaibu described the conference as an invaluable platform for strategic reflection, robust engagement, and the exchange of ideas to strengthen civil-military cooperation. He said it would deepen inter-agency collaboration and enhance the nation’s collective response to security challenges.
“The Nigerian Army is transforming into a more professional, adaptive, and technology-driven force capable of addressing both conventional and asymmetric threats,” Shaibu said, expressing gratitude to President Tinubu for his unwavering support for the welfare, professionalism, and operational effectiveness of the Armed Forces.
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