CDS Musa urges national unity to defeat Boko Haram, insecurity
Christopher Musa, Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), has called on Nigerians to unite and take collective responsibility in addressing insurgency and insecurity, warning that military operations alone cannot bring an end to the Boko Haram crisis.
Musa appealed on Friday during the presentation of “SCARS: Nigeria’s Journey and the Boko Haram Conundrum,” a book authored by former Chief of Defence Staff General Lucky Irabor, in Abuja.
Speaking at the event, the defence chief stressed that only 25 to 30 per cent of the solution to Nigeria’s insurgency problem lies in military action. At the same time, the rest depends on the will of the people to embrace peace, unity, and nationhood.
“For us as a nation to move forward, we must look at this faithfully, truthfully and clearly in order to find solutions. It is not only a military solution. From my experience, the military solution is just 25 to 30 per cent,” Musa said.
He cautioned that without love, tolerance, and deliberate efforts at building national cohesion, insecurity will persist.
“As long as we don’t love ourselves as Nigerians, and we don’t look at ourselves as our brother’s keepers, this will continue.
“If we want this to end, we must learn to live together as brothers and sisters. It is not magic; it must be deliberate,” he added.
Citing Singapore as a model of resilience and transformation, Musa urged Nigerians to consciously commit to building a stronger country.
“Countries have evolved because they looked at their challenges and resolved to overcome them.
Singapore, with all the challenges it had, stood and said: It’s either we stand and die, or we work and develop. They have worked, and they have developed,” he said.
The CDS described Boko Haram as an asymmetric conflict that differs from conventional warfare, noting that the insurgents often hide within communities.
“In conventional warfare, you are dealing with states. Asymmetric warfare means the enemy is within. It could be your father, brother or mother. Because you are dealing with ideology, it is not written on the forehead; it is within the mind.
“You must find solutions to the mindset of those doing these things and also look outward,” he explained.
He warned that external actors were also fueling instability in Nigeria and Africa at large, stressing the need for Africans to take responsibility for their own security.
“There are also people from outside who are ready to ensure they continue to succeed and the country continues to fail. We must not allow them to succeed. I am sure, working together, we will continue to win.
“We as Africans need to face these challenges ourselves without waiting and relying on others to do it for us,” he said.
Musa also commended Irabor for his enduring contributions to the Nigerian military and his continued efforts in retirement to tackle national security issues.
“His footprint across our nation’s military is indelible, particularly in the fight against insurgency and terrorism. Even in retirement, he continues to add his quota to solving the security challenges facing us as a country,” Musa said.
