President Bola Tinubu has again restated his commitment to enhancing national security.
He said through the efforts of the Nigerian military and other security agencies, the government has maintained a vision for a safe, secure, prosperous and strong nation.
Tinubu, represented by the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) Gen. Christopher Musa, said this on Saturday at the graduation ceremony of the members of Senior Course 46 of the Armed Forces Command and Staff College (AFCSC), Jaji.
He equally said his administration has made efforts to improve its cooperation with neighbouring countries in order to combat the scourge of banditry, terrorism and insurgency prevalent in the sub-region.
Tinubu stated that the Armed Forces of Nigeria was working tirelessly to enhance its combat effectiveness, operational capability and training necessary to eliminate the threats together with other stakeholders.
”My past one year in office has been particularly challenging for the nation, considering the security challenges being faced in different parts of the country,” the president said.
He explained that most of the security challenges facing the world were both asymmetric and trans-border, involving mainly non-state actors in different subregions and regions.
“The West African sub-region and indeed our continent of Africa are not immune to these threats. As such, the specifics of your training which centred mostly on countering these threats are most timely.
“Combating these prevalent security threats effectively demands collaborative efforts from all African countries to continue working together at all levels to achieve lasting peace and our respective developmental goals.
“Thus, it is heartwarming to note that the continued representation of sister African countries on this course, provides a platform for learning and strategizing to work together to achieve a stable and secure continent.
“An understanding of the doctrines of the cooperating forces is without doubt, critical to achieving synergy in multinational operations,” he said.
Tinubu, therefore, vowed to continue employing all elements of national power in ensuring security, a just society, peaceful coexistence, national unity and sustainable development while promoting good standing abroad.
He stressed that the leadership of the graduates would be pivotal in the ongoing efforts to combat the various security threats prevalent in the country.
Tinubu stressed that the nation expected the best from them in terms of loyalty, dedication to duty and service to their fatherland.
He urged them to endeavour to make positive contributions to the discharge of the constitutional responsibilities of the armed forces of Nigeria and be good ambassadors of the AFCSC.
The president also urged them to serve with valour, lead with vision and never waiver in their commitment to the country.
He further implored them to use the training they received to promote peace and security within the nation and in the African region at large.
Tinubu restated his government’s will to continue providing the enabling environment and support to ensure that the desired end state was achieved.
Earlier, the Commandant of the College, AVM Hassan Alhaji, said, “The institution, which came alive on May 29 1976, has transformed into an international centre of excellence for the training of mid-level officers for Nigeria and our partner countries from across the world.”
Alhaji said the course was assembled on August 16, 2023, and was made up of 262 students.
Other than the 146 Nigerian Army officers, 59 Nigerian Navy officers and 41 Nigerian Air Force officers, there were also 15 international students from some friendly and brotherly countries.
They included: Benin, Cameroons, Côte d’Ivoire, the Gambia, Ghana, Lesotho, Liberia, Mali, Tanzania, Togo and Zimbabwe.
He said, “We also have one student from a strategic institution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
“As you return to your respective countries, remember to be good ambassadors of the College.
”We are proud to note that the increasing number of international participation in our courses is a clear attestation that our graduates are living up to the expectations of the armed forces of their respective countries.”
Alhaji said the AFCSC would always welcome students from other countries, adding, ”because, we believe our interactions will continue to be of mutual benefit while deepening synergy and cooperation in multinational operations.”
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), reports that Tinubu also inaugurated the remodelled college’s Department of Joint Studies Office Complex named after the CDS. (Gen. CG Musa complex).
He also decorated some newly promoted officers and unveiled the college’s journal.