The Chief of Defence Staff, General Christopher Musa, has tasked men and officers of the Nigerian Armed Forces to ensure that innocent citizens are protected and not to be killed or harmed under any guise.
He issued the warning during an official working visit to the Nigerian Defence Academy in Kaduna State on Friday, where he inaugurated several completed projects to improve the welfare and training of cadets.
“We must understand that the Armed Forces of Nigeria is for Nigeria and for Nigerians. Our duty is to protect Nigeria, to protect our sovereignty whether within or outside, it is not to harm innocent people, that we must understand.
“And for cadets, as you grow in the system, understand this clearly our duty is to protect and defend our country,” General Musa said.
The CDS also asked the cadets and officers to gear up with the dynamic nature of warfare especially with the emergence of artificial intelligence in the fight against insecurity, warning that the days of officers abandoning their duties for self-aggrandizement are over and won’t be tolerated.
He reminded them about the enormous task ahead of them, and why they must brace up to the challenges of defending their fatherland against any threat.
The defence chief, however, warned that no form of soft landing for any officer, as they will be posted to difficult terrains as junior commanders to protect the citizens and the country against any threat.
On his part, the Commandant of the NDA, Major General John Ochai, emphasized the importance of leveraging information technology to combat terrorism, banditry and other emerging security challenges confronting the country.
Noting the effective use of Information Communication Technology (ICT) in modern warfare and counter-terrorism operations, General Ochai highlighted the NDA’s efforts to integrate it into its training programs, aiming to equip cadets with the necessary skills to tackle contemporary and emerging security concerns.
Accompanied by the NDA Commandant and top military officers and their wives, the CDS inaugurated some of the completed projects. Among them are the NDA emergency and trauma centre, operational, basic military training complex among others.
