CDS urges Nigerians to embrace military as democratic partners, not occupiers
The Defence Headquarters (DHQ) has said a total of 6,260 terrorists have been killed, 5,365 civilians rescued and stolen goods worth over N83 billion recovered across the country through joint military operations in the past two years.
This was as the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), Gen Christopher Musa, called on Nigerians to discard the outdated perception of the military as an occupying force and instead see the armed forces as committed partners in the country’s democratic progress and security architecture.
The Deputy Director, Defence Media Operations (DMO), Brig-Gen Ibrahim Abu-Mawashi, revealed the data while giving an overview of troops’ achievements in two years, at the expanded parley with media executives at the DHQ, yesterday.
Abu-Mawashi said 14,138 terrorists and other criminals were arrested, adding that troops recovered hundreds of weapons and thousands of rounds of ammunition.
Giving details of military successes in each of the regions, the Defence spokesman said in the Niger Delta region, troops recovered N83 billion worth of stolen crude. He explained that the troops also killed 103 criminals, arrested 2,760 others and rescued 266 civilians from the kidnappers’ den.
According to him, 1,246 Boko Haram and Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) terrorists were killed and 2,467 arrested in the North East. The troops reportedly killed 1,374 bandits, including their top commanders, in the North West theatre of operation, which comprises Zamfara, Kaduna, Katsina, Kebbi and Sokoto states.
In the military’s Joint Task Force South East over the past two years, the defence spokesman said 440 terrorists were killed while 1,677 criminals were arrested. He added: “Finally, the Joint Task Force in the South West killed 80 criminals and arrested 1,763 others while rescuing 89 kidnap victims.
“Troops recovered 143 weapons and 177,904 rounds of ammunition.” The Director of Defence Information, Brig-Gen Tukur Gusau, said the event marked a significant milestone in their collective efforts to address and mitigate the complex security challenges confronting the nation.
Gusau said the programme was conceived in alignment with one of the leadership philosophies of the CDS, which is “leading a people-centric armed forces”.
The CDS appealed for perception shift, yesterday during the maiden Civil-Military Relations Conference organised by DHQ in Abuja. With the theme, ‘Winning Hearts and Minds: Non-Kinetic Approaches to National Security’, the conference was aimed at strengthening trust and collaboration between the military and civilian population.
Reflecting on Nigeria’s political history, the CDS acknowledged that past military interventions in governance created a legacy of mistrust. “Historically, the relationship between the military and the civilian population has, at times, been characterised by suspicion, fear and mistrust,” he said. “This unfortunate legacy has often hampered our ability to work effectively together in times of crisis or national emergency.” Musa emphasised that today’s Nigerian military operates within a democratic framework and remains accountable to the people it serves.
“The Armed Forces of Nigeria are a constitutionally established institution, deeply rooted in democratic principles,” he stressed. He urged the citizens to take ownership of the country’s stability by actively engaging in national development while tasking military commanders to prioritise the protection and wellbeing of the communities they are deployed to serve.
Earlier, the Chief of Civil-Military Relations at DHQ, Rear Admiral Olusanya Bankole, described the event as a milestone in the military’s commitment to people-centric security operations.
