By Sumaila Ogbaje

The Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), Maj.-Gen. Christopher Musa, says his leadership concept will be hinged on three pillars, which include being people-centric, prioritising troops’ welfare while deepening jointness and interagency collaboration.

Musa said this in a statement titled, “Leadership Concept of the Chief of Defence Staff” on Thursday in Abuja.

He said his appointment was a clear manifestation of the confidence reposed in him to direct the efforts of the armed forces to fulfill its constitutional roles to address evolving security dynamics across the country.

According to him, the realisation of this critical responsibility elicits a clear leadership concept which will serve as the roadmap supporting the implementation of relevant guiding principles by the armed forces.

“The significance of this roadmap is to foster highly disciplined, cohesive and inspired armed forces ready to achieve its constitutional roles, facilitate national security and enhance sustainable socio-economic development in the country.

“In this regards, the broad outline of my leadership concept shall be “To Nurture a Professional Armed Forces of Nigeria that is People-Centric, Collaborative and Capable of Meeting its Constitutional Responsibilities in a Joint Environment”.

“Accordingly, my leadership concept will be hinged on three pillars which include being people-centric, prioritizing troops’ welfare while deepening jointness and interagency collaboration,” he said.

Musa said he recognised the significance of leasing the military to provide a secure and peaceful environment for the Nigerian people to freely engage in their legitimate enterprise in line with its constitutional mandate.

He pledged that the armed forces under his leadership would prioritise and safeguard the people and their legitimate way of life as prescribed by the nation’s constitution.

According to him, the armed forces will apply the lens of people-centricity to key components of activities to truly put the Nigerian people at the centre of its actions geared towards promoting and safeguarding a secure environment for all.

The CDS said the military would proactively defend the territorial integrity and democracy as well as safeguard internal security and unity to achieve the stability required to guarantee sustainable national development.

He said that troops’ welfare and sound administration would provide the required atmosphere for the military to deliver on its constitutional responsibilities.

He assured service men and women of his commitment to their welfare, provision of relevant operational equipment as well as infrastructural development within available resources to enable them to succeed in assigned constitutional roles.

“The goal will be to promote targeted and specific capacity building, sound administration and efficient resource management amongst others to enhance both individual and collective welfare of armed forces personnel.

“I shall also promote international military cooperation/collaboration to further expose and provide capacity building to military personnel in joint and combined operations outside the shores of Nigeria.

“This measure is required to consolidate on armed forces welfare priorities in order to effectively deploy, fight and win our nation’s wars by providing ready, prompt and sustained land, sea and air dominance across traditional as well as asymmetric conflict settings as part of a joint force.

“Joint operation which is designed to exploit unity of efforts to seize, retain and maintain the initiative in order to achieve a clearly defined military objective is crucial to the realisation of the armed forces constitutional duties.

“I shall, therefore, deepen jointness and prioritize decision-making through a shared process of active contribution and consultation across a wide spectrum of our security architecture.

“I shall promote trust, initiative, judgment and creativity among the various services and maintain a channel for proactive engagement in all our interactions.

“With regard, to other security forces, I shall build bridges by revitalizing communication channels while deepening synergy in the planning and execution of operations within a well-coordinated, joint and multi-agency environment,” he added.

The defence chief said the myriads of security challenges which had currently bedeviled the nation called for a more succinct approach towards mitigating the issues.

He pledged his commitment towards ensuring a conducive and secure environment for the protection of lives and properties for socio-economic activities to thrive.

According to him, to ensure this, the armed forces is poised to fulfill its constitutional roles in order to address evolving security dynamics across the country.

He thanked President Bola Tinubu, for the confidence repose in him by appointing him as the CDS. (NAN) (www.nannews.ng)

Edited by Isaac Aregbesola