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By Philip Nwosu
The Federal Government has reaffirmed its commitment to strengthening Nigeria’s security architecture as the Minister of Defence, yesterday, declared open the 2025 Chief of Army Staff (COAS) Annual Conference, urging senior military commanders to translate strategy into concrete action against terrorism, banditry and other emerging threats.
Speaking at the ongoing conference, the Minister of Defence, General Christopher Musa (retd), noted that Nigeria continues to confront a complex and evolving security environment marked by terrorism, banditry, criminality and other asymmetric threats, stressing that addressing the challenges required sustained focus, strategic clarity and adaptive leadership.
According to him, recent gains recorded across multiple theatres of operation had shown that the operational capacity of terrorist groups and criminal networks had been significantly degraded, attributing the progress to the courage of troops, improved planning and enhanced joint and multi-agency cooperation.
The minister said that the gains reflected the courage of troops, improved planning and execution, as well as the growing impact of coordinated operations conducted within a joint and multi-agency framework.
“The reality remains that no single service, institution or individual can address today’s security challenges alone.
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“Success can only be sustained through unity of effort, joint operations, intelligence sharing, coordinated planning and close collaboration among security agencies.
“As we pursue operational success, we must never lose sight of the human dimension of military service.”
He paid tribute to fallen officers and soldiers who paid the supreme sacrifice in defence of the nation, while also recognising wounded personnel and their families who bear the enduring cost of service. Special mention was made of former Chief of Army Staff, late Lt-Gen Taoreed Lagbaja as well as recently deceased senior officers, including Brig-Gen Uba.
“The welfare, medical care and long-term support of our wounded personnel and families of the fallen remain a sacred obligation that must be upheld without compromise,” he said. Reaffirming that security remains a central pillar of President Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, the minister assured that the Ministry of Defence would continue to provide strategic direction, policy support and capability development to ensure a professional, responsive and future-ready Armed Forces.
He also praised the Chief of Army Staff for his extensive operational experience in the North-East, describing it as an asset in the ongoing fight against insecurity. Urging participants to move beyond discussions, the minister challenged senior commanders to ensure that recommendations from the conference translate into measurable operational outcomes.
“It is not enough to talk. Strategic discussions must lead to concrete actions that improve leadership, enhance coordination and sustain pressure on all threats to national security,” he said. The conference, attended by senior military officers, retired service chiefs, government officials and other stakeholders, is expected to shape the Nigerian Army’s operational direction for 2026 and beyond.
