The Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), Major General Christopher Musa has vowed to ensure conducive and secure environment for the protection of lives and properties for socio-economic activities to thrive.
Musa made the vow in a write-up he titled: “Leadership Concept of Chief of the Defence Staff”, made available to newsmen.
According to him, “the myriads of security challenges which has currently bedeviled our dear nation calls for a more succinct approach towards mitigating the issues. In view of this, I am committed towards ensuring a conducive and secure environment for the protection of lives and properties for socio-economic activities to thrive.
“To ensure this, the AFN is poised to fulfil its constitutional roles in order to address evolving security dynamics across the country. I have the honour to thank the President, Federal Republic of Nigeria, and
Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Nigeria (AFN), President Bola Ahmed
Tinubu, for appointing me the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS).
“The appointment is a clear manifestation of the confidence reposed in me to direct the efforts of the AFN to fulfil its constitutional roles in order to address evolving security dynamics across
the country. The realization of this critical responsibility elicits a clear leadership
concept which will serve as the roadmap supporting the implementation of relevant guiding principles by the AFN.
“The significance of this roadmap is to foster a highly disciplined, cohesive and inspired AFN ready to achieve its constitutional roles, facilitate national security and enhance sustainable socio-economic development in
the country.
“In this regards, the broad outline of my leadership concept shall be “To
Nurture a Professional Armed Forces of Nigeria that is People – Centric,
Collaborative and Capable of Meeting its Constitutional Responsibilities in a
Joint Environment”.
“Accordingly, my leadership concept will be hinged on 3
pillars which include being people-centric, prioritizing troops’ welfare while
deepening jointness and interagency collaboration.
“I recognize the significance of leading the thousands of devoted and
distinguished service men and women to provide a secure and peaceful environment for the Nigerian people to freely engage in their legitimate enterprise in line with the
constitutional mandate of the 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.
“Accordingly, the AFN will apply the lens of people-centricity to key components of activities to truly put the Nigerian people at the centre of its actions geared towards promoting and safeguarding a secure environment for all.
“To achieve this, the AFN will proactively
defend our territorial integrity and democracy as well as safeguard internal security and unity to achieve the stability required to guarantee sustainable national development.
“Troops’ welfare and sound administration will provide the required
atmosphere for the AFN to deliver on its constitutional responsibilities. Thus, the
AFN will continue to seek ways and means to improve the welfare of its personnel
under my watch.
“In this regard, service men and women of the AFN should be reassured of my commitment to their welfare, provision of relevant operational equipment as well as infrastructural development within available resources to enable them to succeed in assigned constitutional roles. “The goal will be to promote
targeted and specific capacity building, sound administration and efficient resource management amongst others to enhance both individual and collective welfare of AFN personnel.
“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.”
On deepening jointness in the military, he said: “Joint operation which is designed to exploit unity of efforts to seize, retain and
maintain the initiative in order to achieve a clearly defined military objective is
crucial to the realization of the AFN constitutional duties.
“I shall, therefore, deepen jointness and prioritize decision-making through a shared process of active contribution and consultation across a wide spectrum of our security architecture.
“This is geared towards ensuring that the AFN is capable of promptly identifying and
addressing emerging operational challenges with appropriate methods and
capabilities in a timely and efficient manner.
“In this regard, I shall promote trust, initiative, judgment and creativity among the various services and maintain a
channel for proactive engagement in all our interactions.
“With regard, to other
security forces, I shall build bridges by revitalizing communication channels while
deepening synergy in the planning and execution of operations within a well-
coordinated, joint and multi-agency environment.”