By- Mohammad Abdulkadri, ANIPR
The Nigeria’s 18 Chief of Defence Staff, General Christopher Gwabin Musa, is well known to Nigerians, albeit within the Military Constituency. If you ask me how, i will tell you that the reasons are legion but not far fetched. The reasons are predicated on the fact that, the distinguished Infantry General Musa of the Infantry Nigerian Defence Academy, Regular Course 38 is rendering quantum of quality service to the country with unwavering patriotic zeal.
No doubt, he had carved a niche for himself as a clinically and operationally tested man of action. Without any contradiction, I’m emboldened to put it on record that the impact of his exemplary leadership of the Armed Forces is already being felt by tranquilizing the nation’s security landscapes in the version and vision of the”Renewed Hope Agenda” of the present administration. Under his pragmatic leadership, the criminal elements who are daring and testing the will of the nation, now know much better, that taking up arms against the Nigerian State is an unacceptable aineous crime against humanity that must be confronted decisively.
With the uncompromising posture of the Military in a joint Operational Environment, the recalcitrant rebels are already smelling their buttocks and gasping for breaths under the suffocating weight of the Military pressure being mercilessly and massively inflicted on them. Kudos to the nation’s Armed Forces.
Nigerians are eternally grateful to the C-in-C, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu,GCFR, for the strategic appointment of General Musa as the Chief of Defence Staff at this crucial and challenging times in our national history.
General Musa, an all time, renowned “Bulldozer General, is on duty call, uprooting crimes and criminalities by smoking out criminal elements in their hideouts and teaching them the worst lessons of their lives for taking up arms against the constitutionally constituted authority.
So, deservedly, Nigeians appreciate the great General who is always on Operational visits to the frontline defending the nation’s territorial integrity. Wishing him God’s speed in ending terrorism and other threats to the survival of our dear nation.
Evidences abound about the wonderful performance by General Musa who is dreaded and feared by the perpetrators of dastard crimes. He had become a nightmare for the Terrorists, Bandits, and other Non – State Actors as peace had returned to many troubled spots in the National Security landscapes.
What this writer is exploring in this write up, is to ignite journalistic expository fire at the CDS performance at a close range for maximum impact. This is with a view to unravelling what the public are yawning to know about the General’s150 days report card in office.
As the occupier of the top Military Professional and Operational Office in the Armed Forces of Nigeria, Nigerians deserve to be kept abreast on how, he is walking- the -Talk, without Talking but full of result- oriented actions in delivering on his mandate as required of his exalted position.
Let it be understood from the onset, that the General is not disposed to loquaciousness, personal grandstanding and razzmatazz on matters as sensitive as National Security. That is a positive attitude and attribute of an experienced war strategist that the CDS is known to be.
Since he assumed Command as the Chief of Defence Staff in june this year, there had been tremor-like volcanic erruption which is akin to Sunami sweeping the rank and files of the adversaries in their camps and corridors. His standing directive to the troops is to deny the criminals “Safe Haven” . Hence the troops are on red alert instruction : “To Find them, Fix them, Fire then and Finish them, on Land, at Sea and by Air.”
The Gallant Chief of Defence Staff, has since been doing yeoman’s job for the country by taking the bull by the horns in confroting head- on, the gale of insecurity bedeviling the country.
For the avoidance of doubt, in just, 150 days in the saddle, he had turned the tides against the criminal elements with their strengths significantly depleted and lacking cordinated action.
Little wonder, this is the reason for the season of the unprecedented laying down of Arms by the insidious Forces in tens, tons and turn- by-turn, in hundreds of thousands.
What further clarifications do I need to make on the trends of “chickening out of actions syndrome” by the weakened and almost defeated Terrorists, than to say that they are succumbing to the superiority of the firing power of the Nigerian troops. This scnerio is accountable for the changes in the narrative, forcing the criminals to throw in their towels at all levels of the current Military Campaigns.
No wonder members of the IPOB and their cohorts have lost the temerity and the audacity to impede and stampede elections not to talk of their deflated arrogance to halt Socio- Econmic activities under the unlawful “Seat at Home Order” by the anti -democratic Forces within their General Areas of influence.
Within just150 days in office, the capabilities of the Fighting Forces have been greatly upscaled and recapitalized beyond the calculations, compressions and expectations of the criminal elements who are daily being fried and fragmeted like pupcorns and roasted like Bunches of bush meats with sustained fire power of the Military.
The impressive account from the DHQ Intelligence and Media briefing revealed the monopolistic Air Power and seamless conduct of offensives by the Nigerian Air Force alongside the indomitable and fearless Land Forces giving credence to my earlier assertions.
Under the CDS command, the Order of Battle to take the fight to the enclaves of the adversaries to obliterate them continue to record overwhelming successes. According to the CDS ” There shouldn’t be any room for reprisal attacks as the gallant troops must continue to deny them freedom of action in the general area of their operations”.
The revelation by the Governor of Borno State Professor, Babagana Zulum is instructive when he said that “over 160,000 Terrorists voluntarily surrendered with their families”in few weeks. This is a commendable effort by the troops of HADIN KAI in the North East.
The highly dogged four Star General who had conveyed and still conveying DHQ Joint Task Force Commanders’ Conferences regularly for debriefing gave them actionable and must complied directives. “Those who will terrorise Nigeria tomorrow should not live beyond today”. The watchwords handed down to the Commanders by the super Commander, Chief of Defence Staff is very apt and instructive.
It is on record that the well experienced General who had a stint for sleeping in the trenches with the troops as the erswhile Theartre Commander Operation HADIN KAI, had visited and still navigating several operational formations, Commands and theatres to rejuvenate and sustain the morale of the Fighting Forces.
Thanks to the CDS’ for his patriotic actionable words of Statemanship, Service and Sacrifice as encapsulated in his addresses to the troops and as captured in his Leadership Concept of the Armed Forces of Nigeria. It is succintly put this way.
“To Nuture a Professional Armed Forces of Nigeria that is People Centric.
Capable of Meeting its Constitutional Responsibilities in a Joint and Collaborative Environment”
Interrogating the CDS’ Leadership Concept for The Armed Forces of Nigeria, showed that he came prepared to herald a new dawn.
Surely, his, Steady,Strategic and Sustained Steps in prosecuting on-going campaigns have yielded profound successes in decimating the insurgents, Terrorists, Bandits and Oil thiefs. Many of the criminally minded persons have continued to surrendered to the sustained Fighting power of the gallant Troops across the six geo- political zones.
Fundamentally, the battle template under the Command of General Musa is being re-invigorated strategically and tactically being implemented to fit perfectly into the Mantra of the “Renewed Hope Agenda'” of the President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR led administration.
Again, the CDS’ Leadership Concept is clearly defined to make it easily understandable, workable, attainable and sustainable without any ambiguity.
Also, the set goals embedded in the Concept can be likened to the “Doctrine of Reality and Necessity”going by the mood of the nation which is skewed towards the aspirations for the total defeat of the adversaries.
No doubt the CDS’ concept is coined professionally as a visionary leader with very rich intellectual prowess and ideology to change the game.
Of course he has proved beyond doubt that he is a knowledgeable Leader, highly tested and talented Infantry General who knows the way and is Showing the way in solving the mathematics of XYZ in the on-going military campaigns.
The astute and amiable General Gwabin Musa is a lover of Military Training and re-training for Officers and men for enhanced capacity and making the huge investments on Training to count in promoting peace and tranquility for socio-economic activities to thrive in the country.
Some Nigerians and keen observers of the unimaginable turn-around in the overalhauling of campaigns against criminalities gave credit to the CDS for his uncommon sagacity and dexterity he has shown in150 days in office.
They said General Musa personifies the traits of the biblical Moses who defeated King Pharaoh. Optimistically, therefore, they opined that the Moses- Musa of our time will inevitably and invariably defeat all armed enemies of Nigeria sooner than expected.
In Walking -The- Talk codedly, saliently and silently without playing to the gallery and wisely refusing to toe the paths of deploying unscientific mediamanic propaganda, General Musa has earned people’s trust, confidence and believability in the Military’s sustained efforts in defending the indivisibility of Nigeria.
In sustaining the trajectory of Jointness in the Operational Environment as instructed by the Commander-in- Chief of the Nigerian Armed Forces, General Musa is walking- the -talk contained in his Concept of leadership of the Nigerian Armed Forces.
Hence, the plethora of administrative and operational achievements were recorded with vigour and Valour within five months of his stewardship.
CDS tripordial pillars on which his Leadership Concept is standing like Aso Rock, are ipso- facto seen as Force Multiplier towards Wining the war and not loosing the battle.
Why ? Because, the Pillars are coined towards emplacing People- Centric Armed Forces of Nigeria. He is already bequeathing a befitting 21st Century, Armed Forces that is disciplined, dedicated and well equipped that have respect for the rule of law, obey the rules of engagements and show compassion for human diginity. In just159 days in office, the CDS is Prioritizing Troops Welfare as mechanism to boost their morale through proper feeding, prompt payment of their emoluments and providing the troops with quality medical services. Within his rader of the target beneficiaries of the medical services are the sick soldiers, the injured, the Veterans and families of those who paid the supreme prize as currently being implemented by General Musa.
These three core areas are considered irrevocably, a done deal from what Nigerians and keen observers have seen clearly in the paradigm shifts in the management of the affairs of the Military.
Those who have close working affinity with the CDS, like this writer and a Colleague, the Director General, Voice of Nigeria, Mallam Jubril Ndace will attest to his zero tolerance for crimes, No-nonsense posture in fighting criminalities and endless passion in giving service to humanity.
What no Jupiter can take away from the thorough- bred General are his dogged soldiering principles, pedigree of service, Pragmatism, Professionalism and Patriotism.
Within the150 days in office of the Chief of Defence Staff, the Defence Headquarters has continued to play host to critical stakeholders in the nation’s security architecture including Governors, Ministers, Traditional Rulers and diversed opinion leaders. They were at the DHQ mainly on commendational courtesy visits to the nation’s apex Military Headquarters.
In this regard, not less than four governors have visited General Musa towards sustaining and promoting symbolic and symbiotic working relationship between their states and the Nigerian Armed Forces. They include Governor Abdullahi Sule of Nasarawa State, his counterparts from Zamfara State, Dr. Dauda Lawal, Plateau State Barrister Caleb Muftwang and Niger State, His Excellency Mohammed Umaru Bago . They all sought for improved Military covers, Protection, collaboration and requested to deepen security networks with the Military.
On quest to further operationnalize Policy of Gender inclusivity and balancing in the Military, General Musa has made bold attempts and robust statement, to show that he is a gender balancer and unrepentant equaliser.
He did this through the display of uncommon testimonials of his gender friendly disposition through the sponsorship of the recently held DHQ 2023 Gender Mainstreaming Conference held at the National Defence College.This was to the delight of the representative of the First Lady Senator Oluremi Tinubu, Hajia Nana Shettiman and the honourable Minister of Defence , Mohammed Badaru and other stakeholders.
Another area of the open-door administration and operation in the Military under the watch of General Musa is the sustained bi-weekly DHQ Intelligence and Operational Media briefing.This measure of mutual trust has continue to deepen Military-Media partnership in National building alongside promotion of Civil-Military Relations.
Just recently, the General proved the doubting Thomases wrong who erroneously hold the view that, it is only in the deployments of Kinetic solutions to counter threats to National Security, that the troops are excelling, no, the Military is also doing very well in Non-kinetic approach.These areas include Military’s interventions in building bridges of co-terminus with the civilians within various locations through provisions of medical outreaches,water supply and mitigating educational needs for the host communities in the Military owned institutions.
In Sporting activities, the CDS sponsored some Military athletes to participate, for the first time in the Invectus games, held in Germany where they won One Gold and One Broze Medals.
In line with the directive by the Commander-in- Chief of the Nigerian Armed Forces, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, the Chief of Defence Staff and the Service Chiefs are united on the same page in the Joint Operational Environment with a view to ending the over a decade of insecurity bedeviling the country.
No doubt, the Mantra of the “Renewed Hope Agenda” is robbing on the Military and rekindling the hope of Nigerians in their quests to see the end of terrorism, banditry, kidnappings, piracy and other threats to National peace and tranquility.
Abdulkadri, Writes from Abuja.
