BY AKINWALE ABOLUWADE, IBADAN
General Lucky Irabor, Chief of Defence Staff, in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, on Thursday held a brainstorming session with retired senior military officers in the South-West region.
The meeting held at the 2Division, Nigeria Army in Ibadan centered on how collaboration with retired officers could help in improving the security situation in the country.
While briefing journalists, Irabor said the military wanted to discuss with the retired officers on how to improve the security of the nation in a bid to ensure unity and progress.
The military chief said, “I believe that you and I are sold out to bring about unity and faith, and ensure that peace and progress of our nation remain on course. I said you and I are sold out because patriotism is required for us to keep the country safe.
“As members of the armed forces, we know that our constitutional responsibility lies in the defence of the territorial integrity of our nation. By the virtue of the additional provision of Section 217 of our Constitution, we are to give support to the civil authorities.
“What we find today as part of our state challenges is that we realise that the territorial integrity of our nation is being challenged mostly from internal factors. These factors also have external inputs.
“We believe that if we engage with you and other stakeholders, we would be able to find solutions to them. From the wealth of experience that you have and from the knowledge that you acquired over the years, we believe there is no other cross section of Nigerians that we should be engaged with than you. In our assessment, you are most qualified, you are most knowledgeable on the issues of security.
“Because you are most qualified, we believe that you have what it takes to be our mouthpieces.”
He explained that the military believed that despite being retired from active service, the retired officers would be better instrument of sensitization for those who live around them on issues bothering on security.
The CDS debunked the insinuation that some members of the military were conniving with the criminals troubling the nation, saying that criminally minded people who lived in the society should be exposed.
The Chief of Defence Civil-Military Cooperation, Rear Admiral Fredrick Ogu, said the South-West with cosmopolitans cities such as Lagos and Ibadan, was the first port of call for the security meeting.
Ogu stressed that the meeting held with the retired senior military officers would hold in other regions as well, hinting that the military would keep working towards making the country better.
He said that expectedly, the meeting would throw up some salient issues to which solutions would be proffered in order to make the country safe. He, therefore, urged them to be open and ready for discussion.
The General Officer Commanding, 2 Division, Nigerian Army, Ibadan, Gen. Gold Chibuisi, in his address of welcome, said the growing insecurity in the country put the military on the spotlight as they were being deployed in every state of the federation for operations.
The GOC said, “The way the hoodlums carry out their attacks calls for concern by all those who are in support of Nigeria. Innocent souls continue to be lost. The growing insecurity has contributed to the economic stress and joblessness in the nation.”
