The Honourable Minister of Defence, General Christopher Musa (rtd), has inaugurated an 18-member Committee on Reclaiming Ungoverned Spaces for Economic Viability and the Repositioning of the Nigerian Legion Corps of Commissionaires and Veterans, as part of renewed efforts to strengthen veterans’ welfare and ensure the active participation of military veterans in enhancing national security.
The inauguration ceremony took place on Tuesday, 27 January 2026, at the Ministry of Defence Headquarters, Ship House, Abuja.
Represented at the event by the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Defence, Mr. Richard Pheelangwa, the Honourable Minister described the Nigerian Legion as a critical institution with a proud history of service, sacrifice, and patriotism. He noted that the Legion has continued to play significant roles in supporting national security and veterans’ affairs. However, he stressed that evolving socio-economic realities make it imperative to reform and reposition the corps for greater relevance, effectiveness, and sustainability.
According to him, the repositioning initiative forms part of a broader government commitment to ensure that veterans who have served the nation with honour are not left behind, but are empowered to live dignified and productive lives after service. He described the initiative as a deliberate and strategic policy intervention aimed at addressing long-standing structural and operational challenges that have limited the contribution of the defence community to national development.
General Musa advocated a strategic shift from over-reliance on purely military offensives to a more comprehensive, inclusive, and sustainable approach to national security. While acknowledging that military operations remain indispensable, he emphasized that enduring peace and stability can only be achieved by addressing the underlying socio-economic factors that enable insecurity to persist.
The Honourable Minister outlined the three Terms of Reference of the Committee as follows:
- To reposition the veteran community to support national economic development.
- To deploy veterans to secure ungoverned spaces and ensure such areas are brought under effective oversight and development.
- To reposition the Nigerian Legion Corps of Commissionaires by strengthening operational effectiveness, facilitating veterans’ reintegration, and promoting their contribution to national security.
He urged members of the Committee to adopt innovative, practical, and forward-looking approaches that reflect contemporary realities, adding that the deliberate integration of veterans into security and development initiatives would enhance local ownership, improve intelligence gathering, and foster trust between communities and the state.
The Minister expressed optimism that the Committee would submit actionable recommendations capable of supporting a holistic national strategy for securing Nigeria’s ungoverned spaces while promoting inclusive economic growth and sustainable peace.
The membership of the Committee is drawn from the Joint Services Department of the Ministry of Defence, the Nigerian Legion, Defence Headquarters, Defence Intelligence Agency, the Nigerian Army, Nigerian Navy, Nigerian Air Force, as well as representatives from the Offices of the Honourable Minister of Defence and the Honourable Minister of State for Defence.
