Defence Chief: The Coming of Gen Musa By Zagazola Makama
Nobody is better placed to champion the cause of unity, peace and stability in the society than he who commands spiritual or statutory authority.
Riding on a high moral pedestal, such a leader possesses the capacity to mould the character under his moral influence into a force for good.
Leaders are like torchbearers. Through their sobered preachments and pious disposition, they hold out the light in place of darkness, inspire hope in times of despair and provide moral compass for the people to navigate the truth.
It becomes concerning and indeed disappointing when such a moral or spiritual leader decides to turn his pulpit into a platform of misinformation, mischaracterisation, and misrepresentation, for whatever reason.
It is even more dangerous when the object or subject of such misinformation, mischaracterisation and misrepresentation has to do with sensitive matters such as the defence and security of the country.
Surprising there are some religious and cultural leaders who rather pander to the highly inflammable Nigerian politics with inciting remarks.
One of such leaders attempted to diminish the choice of Gen Chris Musa as Nigeria’s Chief of Defence Staff; not on account of his competence but for where he hails from and the religion he professes!
It is necessary to state that Gen Chris Musa as Nigeria’s 18th Chief of Defence Staff is respected Counterinsurgency Expert who has covered Nigerian military’s counter insurgency and anti-banditry operations across the Lake Chad region and the northwest region of Nigeria in the last decade.
A warrior in all ramifications and a defender of the good of our common humanity, Gen Musa is a courageous gentleman officer whose structure and name alone send cold chills down the spine of terrorists.
Winner of the prestigious Collins Powell Meritorious Award for Soldiering, Gen Musa became the Theatre Commander, Northeast Task Force Operation Hadin Kai, in 2021.
His time at the Northeast was marked by the ruthless decimation of tens of high-profile terrorist commanders and hundreds of their foot soldiers by troops of the Nigerian Military. Working in active synergy with sister-services and other security agencies, the troops under his Command consistently dealt deadly blows to the terrorist groups in his areas of responsibility.
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With a combination of kinetic and non-kinetic approaches targeted at the adversaries, it was under his command that over a hundred thousand Boko Haram members and their families laid down their arms and voluntarily surrendered to the troops of the Nigerian military. The efforts of the military under his command also led to the return of more than 1.5 million IDPs taken refuge in Maiduguri, Borno State capital back to their ancestral homes.
He facilitated the reopening of federal roads in Borno State that were closed due to insecurity and ordered the dismantling of a roadblock set up by security to boost economic activities in the state as well as to ease the hardship being faced by commuters and transporters on the highway.
His legacies at the North-East theatre of operation also include the excellent management of man and material which saw to exponential improvement of troops’ welfare and good relationship with the civil populace.
His trajectory in the military made former President Muhammadu Buhari to confirm him with the prestigious National Award in the category of Officers Of the Order of the Federal
Republic.
At the end of his tour of duty at Operation Hadin Kai, Gen Musa was posted to Command the Infantry Corps, the position he held until his appointment as the Chief of Defence Staff.
As the Chief of Defence Staff of a country where 34 out of 36 states are involved in one crisis or the other, it is expected not only our religious leaders but also all Nigerians should be concerned and pray for how the country would be safe again.
The fact his that, with his enviable cooperation with the Service Chiefs as well as synergies with other security agencies, General Musa will surely succeed in his mandates just as minimise to the barest minimal the atrocities of terrorists in the Northeast.
The military’s constitutional duty and responsibility is to protect the territorial integrity and secure the country from internal and external insurrection. Gen. Christopher G Musa, who is exceptionally committed to the peace and security of Nigeria and even ECOWAS region, on the grounds of sheer credibility, capacity and competence, not on the grounds of sectional sentiments.
It is necessary to urge our leaders to be propagate what can reunite us and ensure peaceful coexistence rather than divisive rhetoric that create hatred and enmity among our people.
Zagazola Makama is a Counter-Insurgency expert and Security Analyst in the Lake Chad region
