Nigerian President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to building a secure, stable and prosperous Nigeria.
President Tinubu said the Nigerian Government’s non-kinetic approach to tackling insecurity included job creation, macroeconomic stability, human capital development and social protection to complement ongoing security operations.
He stated this in Kaduna at the passing-out ceremony of cadets of the 73rd Regular Course of the Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA), comprising the Army, Navy and Air Force, as well as cadets of Short Service Course 49 (Army), Direct Short Service Course 34 (Air Force) and Branch Commission Course 3 (Air Force).
Represented by the Speaker of the House of the House of Representatives, Mr. Abbas Tajudeen, the President said, “Despite the diverse challenges our dear country has been confronted with, my administration has remained steadfast, focused, and committed to building a secure, stable, and prosperous Nigeria.
“Through the continuous and surgical application of all elements of national power, including, and most importantly, the military, we have continued to stabilise the situation, improving our responses and expanding as well as modifying our interventions, which thankfully are yielding desired outcomes.”
“We aptly recognise that kinetic military operations alone cannot defeat insecurity since poverty, unemployment, poor education, and social disintegration are notable drivers of conflicts. That is why under the Renewed Hope Agenda, we are pursuing job creation, macroeconomic stability, human capital development, and social protection in tandem with our security efforts,” he explained.
President Tinubu stated that his administration is also enhancing Nigeria’s regional and global collaborations and cooperations, due to the transnational nature of the threats.
He said; “Nigeria will continue to enhance our commitments to democracy and stability in our region and indeed globally. Despite the setbacks in the cooperation within the subregion, especially in the Sahel, Nigeria under my leadership, through the auspices of ECOWAS and other regional bodies, will continue to pursue inclusive diplomacy, security cooperation, and economic integration.
“Consequently, with the military’s unalloyed support for democratic governance, Nigeria’s continental and regional leadership role will continue to be upheld and intensified.”
“We remain opposed to unconstitutional changes of government, however we will not abandon our brothers and sisters in Mali, Niger, or Burkina Faso. Preserving five decades of ECOWAS achievements, covering free movement, trade, and regional coordination, is essential to our collective security and prosperity,” President said.
He noted that the NDA, since its establishment in 1964, lived up to the expectations of the founding fathers and, indeed, the nation.
The Academy has evolved in line with nascent security challenges by developing a training curriculum which blends military training and academics with a focus on character development.
President Tinubu stated that a critical aspect of this is a realistic and enhanced Counter-Terrorism and Counterinsurgency training designed to suit contemporary security challenges. This, he noted, is in addition to the rapid integration of technology into training and research.
He also noted that NDA cadets are undergoing military training in the United Kingdom, the United States of America, Brazil, and France.
“I am particularly encouraged that the Nigerian Defence Academy is increasingly receiving international recognition through invitations extended to its cadets to participate in highly competitive military cadet competitions in the United States, Brazil, and most recently, the People’s Republic of China.
“Such invitations are earned through demonstrated excellence. They attest to the remarkable improvements in the Academy’s training standards, professionalism, and global standing, while affirming that Nigeria is producing officers capable of competing and excelling alongside the very best military institutions in the world,” the President explained.
He said that the Academy equally continues to serve as a regional hub for military education by training cadets from several African countries, including Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Congo Brazzaville, The Gambia, Guinea, Liberia, Niger, Sierra Leone, and Uganda.
“These engagements strengthen military diplomacy, deepen professional cooperation, and reaffirm Nigeria’s leadership in defence education and capacity development across the African continent,” he added.
