Nigeria’s Chief of Defence Staff, Gen. Christopher Musa, said the change of government by the military in West African countries has had unintended consequences and threatened their democratic values in the region.
Musa added that the threat of a military takeover of the government must be destroyed, adding that it negated the core responsibilities of the military profession. Musa stated that in democratic countries, the military must uphold democratic values in line with their constitutions.
The Chief of Defence Staff spoke on Wednesday, 07 August at the 42nd Ordinary Session of the Committee of ECOWAS Chiefs of Defence Staff in Abuja. Musa noted that the meeting would prevent coups and ensure peace and sustainable development for citizens in West Africa. He identified some critical areas to address: “the proposed Air Force Security Support Mission in Sierra Leone and the activation of the Air Force Standby Force against terrorism.”
Also speaking, ECOWAS Commissioner for Political Affairs, Peace and Security, Ambassador Abdel-Fatau Musah, said the withdrawal of Mali, Niger and Burkina Faso from the regional bloc would lead to unintended security consequences.
He called on the ECOWAS Defence Chiefs to finalize the planning of the deployment to stabilise Sierra Leone and the operationalization of the ECOWAS Logistics Depot at Lungi in the Republic of Sierra Leone. Speaking, Nigeria’s Minister of Defence, Mohammad Badaru, called for the development of new military strategies to ensure peace and stability in the region. He also urged the regional defence chiefs to deeply reflect on the rapidly evolving complex security situation in West Africa. Badaru also called for a new mechanism to curb the proliferation of small arms in the region, adding that the influx had reached an alarming level.
