President Muhammadu Buhari said yesterday that the nation’s armed forces have a principal role to play in protecting lives and property from all forms of internal or external threats.
He said while the police continue to be primarily responsible for internal security, “the scale of the current security challenges facing our nation requires the military to play a more decisive role in support of civil power.” At the graduation ceremony of the Senior Course 37 of the Command and Staff College, Jaji, Kaduna State, Buhari, represented by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, urged the military to remain apolitical and neutral in performing their constitutional roles.
He affirmed that the armed forces had made good progress in the war against terror despite the fact that they were confronted with contemporary security challenges not envisaged decades ago. The president cautioned the military to be generally mindful of what he called “today’s highly sensitive media environment,” saying some of the new graduates of the college would be deployed in crisis prone areas inside or outside Nigeria.
Buhari therefore, asked them to be conscious of their actions, “given that we live in a common global environment.” He said the quality of training they have received has adequately prepared them to confront current threats to national and global security, stressing that his administration will continue to ensure that the college gets the type of support that it deserves. Lauding other African countries that nominated candidates for the college, Buhari said that action enhances the ideals of African governance integration for regional cooperation vital for collective security and development of the continent.
A total of 174 officers drawn from seven African nations including Nigeria graduated at the ceremony attended by the service chiefs, college officials and the governor of Kaduna State, Malam Nasir el-Rufai. The president noted that with the Multi-National Joint Force of neighboring countries and Nigerian forces, “We’re progressively winning the fight against Boko Haram.” He said his government will adequately equip the armed forces to enable them discharge their responsibilities both internally and globally.
Osinbajo also met with some Nigerians who either escaped or were rescued from Boko Haram insurgents’ base at Sambisa Forest in Borno State at the National Defense Academy in Kaduna. A total number of 307 people, including women and children are at the centre receiving instructional, medical and psychological rehabilitation services.
