The Chief of Defence Staff, CDS, General Christopher Gwabin Musa has charged all Joint Taskforce Commanders to continue to engage with community leaders, religious leaders and other stakeholders in order to address their grievances collaboratively and decisively to gain valuable insights, foster cooperation and build resilient communities that would be capable of securing their own futures.
General Musa gave the charge today, 7th February 2025 while declaring close the 3-Day Chief of Defence Staff, Joint Taskforce Commanders Conference in Abuja, with the theme “Enhancing Jointless Across all Theatres of Operation”, which has been adequately and extensively addressed.
The CDS confirmed that the conference has enabled them to reflect on their collective efforts and attend to challenges faced in addressing the security situation in the country. It has also driven the evolvement of practical measures to strengthen collaboration and cooperation amongst the armed forces and other security agencies in the defence of our great nation
The insights provided by distinguished guest speakers brought out pertinent areas on the strategic imperatives of a whole-of-society approach. Furthermore, it gave field commanders the opportunity to update us all on their operational activities and challenges in their various theatres of operation.
General Musa noted that some of the key takeaways from our discussions have been the importance of unity of effort, resourcefulness and the need for the political class to show more commitment to addressing our security challenges. Nevertheless, as an armed force, we must foster a culture of cooperation, collaboration, and synergy among our troops.
"By breaking down barriers, sharing resources, and leveraging on each other's strengths, we can maximize our collective impact and achieve our shared objectives. Let us therefore bring this spirit of jointness back to our respective Task Forces and integrate it into our daily operations. Other germane suggestions which cut across tactical to strategic levels of our operations were also proffered and have been keenly noted.
The CDS in his remarks emphasized the importance of building and maintaining strong relationships with the communities the military serves. The trust and support of the local population are critical in our efforts to address the security challenges.
"It is important to emphasize that the strength of our Joint Task Forces lies in our ability to operate as a cohesive and integrated force. Consequently, the collaboration and mutual support demonstrated during this conference must continue to guide our operations in the field." he said
General Musa therefore charged Field Commanders to understand the enormity of the task ahead. "You must be innovative and adapt to the changing environment. The security landscape is ever-evolving, accordingly, you must continuously assess and improve your strategies, tactics and capabilities to effectively counter the emerging threats.
"Embracing new technologies, fostering a culture of innovation, and promoting a learning mindset is therefore essential for maintaining our operational edge. Let us also encourage and empower our personnel to think creatively, to challenge conventional wisdom and to embrace change as we strive for continuous improvement.
"Furthermore, we must prioritize the welfare and professional development of our personnel. Our greatest asset remains our human capital, and it is through their dedication, expertise, and resilience that we achieve success on the battlefield. You therefore have a responsibility to ensure their well-being, provide them with the necessary resources and create an environment that nurtures their growth and development.
"On our part as Defence Headquarters, we will continue to invest more in your training and overall welfare of your officers and men. We shall also strive to ensure the timely delivery of the requisite combat enablers and platforms needed to achieve your operational objectives." he pledged
In his keynote address, former Chiefs of Defence Staff and Service Chiefs, Air Marshal O Petinrin (rtd), advocated for togetherness and collaboration among the security agencies and all the people who mean well for the country.
"We must also join in the effort to lead our country. It is in that jointness and working together as a society that we will make progress and we will have a lot of time for development instead of running after each other.
"We need to work together. We need to help the military. We need to help the government so that everything we are doing, we come together and it will result in success. " he said
The highlight of the closing ceremony was the medal decoration of some former JTF Commanders, Veteran, some JTF Commanders and Theatre Commander, and some senior officers for Distinguished Star Medal, Defence Humanitarian Star Award, Defence Veteran Award, and Command Operation Medal.
Amongst those that were honoured with Medals were former Chiefs of Defence Staff and Service Chiefs, Air Marshal O Petinrin (rtd), Adm OS Ibrahim (rtd) and Lt Gen OA Ihejerika (rtd), the Chief of Army Staff, Lt Gen Olufemi Oluyede, Chief of Naval Vice Admiral Emmanuel Ikechukwu Ogalla, Theatre Commander, Joint taskforce Operation Hadin Kai, Major General Waidi Shaibu, Maj. Gen. Abdul Khalifah Ibrahim, Acting Corps Commander of the Nigerian Army Infantry Corps, Major General Emmanuel Undiandeye Chief of Defence Intelligence (CDI) and other gallant personnel.
The past 3 days of the Chief of Defence Staff Joint Task Force Commanders Conference have been filled with engaging discussions, insightful presentations, amiable perspectives and invaluable knowledge.