The Chief of Defence Staff, Gen. Christopher Musa, on Wednesday charged the military to always act in the interest of the country and not for personal gains.

Mr Musa gave the charge at the Armed Forces Command and Staff College Jaji, Kaduna State, ‘Regimental Dinner Night’ in honour of the graduating students of Senior Course 46.

The CDS was represented by the Chief of Policy and Plan, Defence Headquarters, AVM Abraham Adole.

The defence chief shared some thoughts with the graduating students on “Contemporary security challenges and the roles of mid-level officers.”

Mr Musa said, “For us as military personnel and every well-meaning Nigerian, the nation comes first. As I always say, our love for our country remains greater than the fear of death, nonetheless, our understanding of the dynamics bothers any conflict. What we stand for as the military puts us in the right frame for important decision-making. As Chief of Defence Staff, I am happy to see this number of graduating officers of the Armed Forces of Nigeria as well as 15 officers from our allied countries. Having gone through 11 months of intensive training, I am sure you are all eagerly looking forward to returning to your respective services and countries to put into practice the knowledge you have gathered on the course.”

According to Mr Musa, the graduates will be deployed directly to units and formations in the front-line, adding, “Where you will be expected to play important roles in the ongoing operations.  

He stated, “I am sure that your impact will be felt across the Armed Forces as you infuse many ideas to support the ongoing efforts to surmount some of the security challenges facing the country.”

He added that the contemporary security threats facing the country included threats of terrorism perpetuated in the North-East.

The CDS said others were threats emanating from violent extremism, ethnic rivalry, pastoral-based conflicts in the North-West and North-Central as well as other regions.

The CDS said, “Other security threats within our borders are the activities of criminal gangs and secessionist agitations manifested by the Indigenous People of Biafra/Eastern Security Network in the South-East and crude oil theft in the South-South.”

Mr Musa said that these threat elements remained potent and would require the continuous development of capacity.

According to him, the involvement of the Armed Forces of Nigeria in managing such internal crises necessitates a complex interplay of many factors.

He said such a complex security environment would require new competencies and also portended several challenges to military and security practitioners.

Mr Musa said, “This trend brings to the fore the requirement for continuous military professional education to develop the capacity of personnel to surmount the evolving security challenges. One major success determinant in a complex security environment is for you to have a thorough understanding of the dynamics that define the crisis you are deployed to contain and the interplay of the various actors.  This understanding will ensure that you exhibit clear thought and adequate judgement in decision making even when under pressure.’’

He added that contending with the security challenges, the graduates’ leadership competences would also be put to the test and they must stand as an inspiration to their men.

He stated, “I, therefore, wish to inform you that the transformation to the desired set of capabilities that will enable us deal effectively with the evolving threats in our country at the strategic, operational and tactical levels continues. So far, we have continued to make progress in our efforts to curb various security threats, but as long as there are still some skirmishes, we are not where we ought to be yet.”

Mr Musa also charged them on the need to work with other stakeholders collectively.

He noted, “Long-term success against terrorism and insurgency and other internal security challenges require a comprehensive approach involving multiple players and not just a military solution. The prerequisite for such an approach is premised on the fact that the military serves to create enabling conditions for other agencies of government to function in the restoration of long-term peace and security to the crisis. In providing this much needed secured environment, you must understand and appreciate the important roles of other security agencies in the overall security architecture and work with them harmoniously. This gesture is simply because we cannot solve the challenges of the country alone as the solutions to these challenges are beyond the roles of the military.’’

He also reminded them that in the new age of powerful new technologies, especially information and media technologies, the media continued to play a key role in their operations.

Mr Musa said, “Nevertheless, the media represent a critical partner in our efforts, which you must learn to positively engage with to strengthen our relationships with the wider public.”

He implored the international students to utilise what they learnt, both in and outside the lecture halls to improve their careers and establish good relationships with their fellow participants from Nigeria.

He urged them  to be good ambassadors of the institution when they return to their respective countries.

The highpoint of the event was the presentation of awards to the students who distinguished themselves during the course of study.

(NAN)