“MILITARY MUST UPHOLD DEMOCRACY” – CDS Tells NDA Staff, Cadets, As He Pays Working Visit To the Academy

The Chief of Defence of Staff (CDS), Gen Christopher Gwabin Musa, has stated that the military must continue to sustain democracy in Nigeria and support all democratic structures in the country, as well as carry out their constitutional duties of defending the territorial integrity of the country and protecting it’s citizens.Gen Musa said this during his one-day working visit to the Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA) Kaduna on 12 September, 2023, where he addressed officers, civilian staff, soldiers and cadets of the NDA at the Academy Auditorium, Afaka.

The CDS noted that the role of the military is primarily to secure the country and protect good citizens, while also chasing bad guys and crushing all forms of insurgency and criminality. He therefore called on the cadets to focus on their training and aspire to become the best military officers in future. He added that anything short of this would be a disgrace to their commission.

Gen Musa also charged the cadets to be committed, resilient and self-motivated towards the attainment of excellence in their military careers, noting that the system in the military is designed to weed out bad officers. He further adviced the cadets not to see the military as an avenue for acquiring great wealth, but a place of service and sacrifice, even up to giving up their lives to defend the nation. He also admonished the cadets to eschews all forms of tribalism or religious bigotry as these have no place in the Armed Forces of Nigeria.

While addressing the military and civilian staff present, the CDS commended them for their professionalism and service to the Academy. He particularly praised the senior teaching and non-teaching civilian staff who have been in the Academy for decades and noted that although it may not seem so to them at times, their service and sacrifices are deeply appreciated. He therefore called on all staff to continue to exhibit the highest level of professionalism and efficiency in their duties.

The CDS who had earlier been recieved at the NDA Headquarters, and had received a briefing told the gathering that he was aware of the challenges being faced by the NDA and would work to ensure the mitigation of these challenges. He however commended the Commandant of NDA, Maj Gen JO Ochai, for the visible changes and improvements he has enacted in the Academy since he took over command. He noted that it was indeed gratifying to see a leader improve on whatever he inherited from his predecessors.

On his part, the Commandant NDA, Maj Gen JO Ochai disclosed that the occasion marked the first time a CDS would pay NDA a visit within his first 3 months in office. Maj Gen Ochai who described Gen Musa as a seasoned infantry officer who has contributed immensely to the success of the Nigerian Army, also used the opportunity to thank the CDS for his timely intervention to NDA since his appointment by the President, especially with regards to improving the feeding of cadets of the Academy.

As part of his visit to NDA, the CDS was taken on a tour round the Academy where he viewed some ongoing projects within the NDA.