The Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), Gen. Christopher Musa, has averred that military takeovers of governments in West African countries have had negative consequences, and have threatened democratic values in the region.
Gen. Musa, speaking at the opening of a meeting with West African Defence Chiefs in Abuja, said the threat of military coups must be eradicated as it negates the core responsibilities of the military profession.
He said that recent challenges like the military coups in some countries in the region have had unintended consequences and have threatened our collective democratic values.
This threat, he said, “must be destroyed as it negates our core responsibilities as military professionals. Let me, therefore, use this opportunity to emphasise that, as democratic countries, we in the military must uphold democratic values in line with our various constitutions.”
The CDS expressed hope that the meeting would help prevent coups and ensure peace and sustainable development for citizens in the West Africa region.
“I am optimistic that this meeting will assist us in preventing such abnormalities while strengthening our collective resolve to bring about peace and sustainable development to our people,” he said, adding that, “the complexity of the meeting demands that we leverage our collective efforts, share intelligence, and coordinate our efforts across borders if we must solve these challenges.
While urging that collaboration is paramount, Gen. Musa encouraged attendees to address both the root causes and symptoms of the insecurity in our region, as it is on this premise that the agenda for the meeting was carefully crafted to focus on critical areas and build on previous engagements.
Some of the critical areas the meeting will address include the proposed Air Force Security Support Mission in Sierra Leone, the activation of the Air Force Standby Force against terrorism, the development of the Air Force Logistics Depot in Sierra Leone, and Air Force Peace Support Operations.
General Musa said terrorism, insurgency, organised crime, violence and unconstitutional government takeovers threaten national security and undermine the socio-economic development of the entire region.
“Your presence here reflects a shared commitment and dedication towards living in a sustainable environment for the safety and well-being of our people,” he told the assembled Defence Chiefs, adding that it demonstrates a collective drive to address the various community threats affecting the region through deliberate and concerted collaborative efforts.
“As leaders in our respective armed forces, we are all aware of the threats that confront our nations and regions. These threats include terrorism, insurgency, organised crime, violence, [and] recently, unconstitutional takeover of government and national politics. These challenges not only threaten our national security but also undermine the social fabric and socio-economic development of the entire region”, he said.
