By Toby Prince
General Christopher Gwabin Musa, OFR, has been a transformative figure in Nigeria's military landscape since he was appointed the 18th Chief of Defence Staff in June 2023. With his dedication to duty, patriotism, and people-oriented leadership style, General Musa has successfully evolved and transformed the Nigerian Armed Forces into a world-class institution, earning recognition globally for its effectiveness in addressing national security challenges.
General Musa's leadership has been marked by several outstanding achievements, including the successful rescue of 330 Chibok schoolgirls from Boko Haram terrorists and the accelerated amnesty program for repentant terrorists, which led to the surrender of over 47,975 terrorists and their families. He is not just reshaping the narratives but rewriting them. His fight against insurgency is model, impactful and dynamic, ever-evolving against the strategies and tactics emanating from the series of escalating security threats all over the world.
A very forward-thinking and adroit strategist, General Christopher has shown mastery, dexterity and strategic insight in eliminating internal and external security threats, by evolving strategic insightful policies and building formidable resilience in the officers and men with very high capacity military readiness and enhanced operation capability and capacity, inter-agency coordination, and enduringly sustainable international collaborations.
These fundamental and strategic policies also include the timely briefing and evolution of counter-strategies against all forms of insurgencies, criminalities against the State, terrorism, separatist tendencies and a highly formidable and robust intelligence-gathering mechanism capable of outmanoeuvring the strategies of the enemies.
His role as the overall head of the Armed Forces also bestows on him the onerous responsibility of ensuring robust, formidable and responsive joint operational and integrative efforts of the Armed Forces. This collaboration has led to improved inter and intra-agency operations and resource optimizations, elimination of duplication of efforts, confidence building and the fostering of a united front against insurgents even among sister security agencies.
Undoubtedly, General Musa’s wisdom, clout and congruence have led to various outstanding breakthroughs and victories in the areas of building the physical and social infrastructural capacities of the military, in such areas as the procurement of tools, equipment and modern sophisticated armaments, fortified and efficient state-of-the-art aerial surveillance units, and enhancement of cyber warfare capabilities.
In the area of social infrastructures, he has empowered the forces with advanced technologies and skillsets through training and strategic partnerships which is central to this objective and a very robust motivational package. All these including consistent up-to-date training of personnel have greatly enhanced the Armed Forces in discharging its roles and also addressing the evolving complexities and growing international trends in asymmetrical warfare.
General Musa’s role involves partnerships with international allies to augment Nigeria’s defensive apparatus, address capability gaps, and bolster the counterinsurgency repertoire. An apt and experienced soldier, his engagement of the minds and hearts of the insurgents, miscreants and urchins, coupled with other criminal elements with psycho-social measures has greatly led to successes in the de-radicalization programs, enhanced community engagement, and fostered socio-economic growth and development, thereby technically addressing the root causes of insurgency and discouraging recruitment into the camps of the insurgents as well reducing the allure of criminalities.
This has progressively led to efforts aimed at countering the ideologies that feed insurgencies and separatist elements, which is as critical as the physical battlefield operations. His deft diplomatic engagements and multi-sectorial and multi-national counterterrorism initiatives have led to successes in reinforcing international solidarity and showcasing Nigeria’s resolve against terrorism, effectively rallying global support for combating insurgency, participation in multi-national counterterrorism initiatives, and navigating the security implications of international relations.
At the sub-regional level, the CDS CG has increased advocacy for regional partnerships in the Lake Chad Basin and the ECOWAS region thereby solidifying collective action against shared security threats. He has also in a very tangible measure orchestrated the reformation of the Armed forces by making the Force amenable to civil governance, and evolving challenges as well as building capacity and capability to be able to navigate the complex nature of insurgencies as it relates to the undulating topography of the country.
Equally strategic is his ability to fashion out and fuse a robust strategic vision, operational oversight, and inter-agency coordination aimed at eradicating the scourge of militancy and insurgency all over the country. Through an unabated and decisive commitment to proficiency, modernization, joint task formulation, and psychological operations, he can fashion a strategic and dependably sustainable bulwark against the tide of terrorism and insurgency contending against the nation.
General Musa’s leadership has led to the evolution, and successful implementation of such operations as ‘Operation Hadin Kai,’ which was launched to replace the previous ‘Operation Lafiya Dole.’ This operation represented a shift in tactics, focusing on a doctrine that moves away from purely defensive posturing to more offensive operations aimed at decisively defeating the insurgents.
Furthermore, there is the advancement of the concept of “Super Camps,” which consolidates military presence in strategic locations, thereby giving the forces the flexibility to launch swift and precise counterinsurgency strikes and also the added value of timely re-enforcement. Such tactics have reportedly led to several successful raids on insurgent camps and the neutralization of key figures in the groups.
He has also re-enforced community partnership, through robust community engagement and intelligence gathering. Through this, there have been stronger relationships with local communities and collaboration with community leaders, the military has improved its intelligence-gathering capacities and capabilities, leading to more targeted and effective operations against insurgents.
Another strategic reform is the enhancement of inter-agencies relationship which brings together various branches of the Nigeria security apparatchik to form a formidable whole. This is in recognition of the fact that the fight against insurgency is very complex.
This integrated approach ensures that military operations are supported and complemented by the efforts of the police, intelligence services, and other security agencies. Interagency collaboration has been instrumental in disrupting the logistics networks of insurgents and curbing the flow of arms and funding to their operations.
He strongly believes that if the police can get it right the war against insurgency will be over. A strong advocate of a working police system, General Musa has advocated a stronger police force capable of addressing the needs of the citizenry. He strongly also believes that a well-equipped police is a sure panacea for getting the problem of insecurity right in Nigeria.
A man of intrinsic humility, humour, and selflessness at all times, it is generally believed that the tenure of General Musa CG, OFR, will provide the needed peace, stability and security that has escaped the nation for several decades.
**Prince is a media practitioner and writes from Abuja