From Molly Kilete, Abuja
The Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), Major General Christopher Musa, Monday led the service chiefs to the ministry of Defence with a vow to end insecurity and restore peace back to the country in the Monday said has assured that the Nigerian military under his leadership would restore peace back to the country.
Gen Musa, led the Chief Of Army Staff(COAS), Major General Taoreed Lagbaja, Chief of Naval Staff(CNS), Rear Admiral Emmanuel Ogalla and the Chief of Air Staff(CAS), Air Vice Marshall Hassan Abubakar, on a visit to the Permanent Secretary, Dr Abubakar Kana.
The CDS, said they were at the Defence ministry to assure the permanent secretary and Nigerians of their capability to end the insecurity that is ravaging most parts of the country.
He said “We want to tell you and Nigerians that you can rely on us. We are committed And God being on our side we’ll achieve success.”
“We want Nigeria to be peaceful. We grew up when Nigeria was peaceful and we know how it looks like and we want to ensure that our children also have a country they will be proud of. We assure the Commander-in-Chief of our complete loyalty; unalloyed loyalty to his mandate.”
The CDS, told the permanent secretary that “We are here to present ourselves and to also thank the President and Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, for considering us worthy to be appointed to head the Nigerian military. we are here to familiarise ourselves to show our commitment to the set goals of the ministry. On our own part we assure you all that we are committed to achieving the mandate of the president.
He said “We all know the challenges facing the country. I and the service chiefs have come along way. They joined me at the NDA in 1987 and we have gone through so many challenges, promises and successes.
“We thank God for the opportunity to serve our nation. When we are young we looked forward to change things, and now the mantle of leadership is thrown to us. Severally I told them, at times while serving punishment, we sit down and grumble that things are not working. Now to the glory of God we have been saddled with the responsibility to face those challenges and proffer solutions. We assure you we’ll put in our very best. Our loyalty is no other way than to Nigeria.
Welcoming the CDS and the service chiefs to the ministry, the Permanent Secretary Ministry of Defence, Abubakar Kana, while congratulating them on their appointment, urged them to justify the confident response on them by President Tinubu.
Kana, while noting that MOD will continue to key into the vision of the president which is to restore peace and maintain internal security while also maintaining the defence of this country, said it has developed activities to key into the affairs of the new government, specifically the reform of the armed forces which the past government approved and we have commenced implementation.
He said “Basically, some of them are the establishment of an Octagon, like the Pentagon in America; improve civil-military relations to enhance security in the country; and support the government’s deep blue economy initiative.
“We shall continue to work along with sister security agencies to ensure peace in the Niger Delta and drastic reduction in oil theft.
“We are committed to supporting the economy of this country through the military industrial complex. The governments through the Defence Industry corporation of Nigeria is billed the NASS which is about to become an Act that will see to the establishment of a military industrial complex. It will make us self sufficient in the production of arms and ammunitions.”