Defence Minister Urges Graduating Officers to Adapt Faster Than Those Seeking to Undermine National Security

Linus Aleke in Abuja

The Minister of Defence, General Christopher Gwabin Musa (rtd.), has urged graduating military officers to strengthen their ability to anticipate risks, identify vulnerabilities and adapt more quickly than those seeking to undermine national security. He stressed that their task is not simply to respond to threats after they emerge.

He also urged the officers to combine professional competence with intellectual curiosity and the courage to make difficult decisions under pressure.

Speaking at the graduation ceremony of Army War College Nigeria Course 10/2026 yesterday in Abuja, the Defence Minister stressed that Nigeria was making efforts to develop indigenous defence capabilities in various areas while strengthening cooperation with reliable international partners.

He said, “The task before you, therefore, is not simply to respond to threats after they emerge. We must strengthen our ability to anticipate risks, identify vulnerabilities and adapt more quickly than those who seek to undermine our national security.

“I believe this college has imparted these skills to you. Today’s commanders and leaders must combine professional competence with intellectual curiosity and have the courage to make difficult decisions under pressure.

“At the forefront of our strategic vision, we are making efforts to develop indigenous defence capabilities in various areas while strengthening cooperation with reliable international partners. Our long-term security architecture cannot rest solely on foreign technologies.”

General Musa said Nigeria was progressively building the capacity to understand, maintain, adapt and produce systems that respond to its own operational realities.

He said this required purposeful collaboration among the Armed Forces, universities, research institutions, defence industries and Nigerian innovators.

He added, “Our institutions must build capacity in areas relevant to hybrid warfare, such as unmanned aerial systems, artificial intelligence, cyber capabilities and data analytics, to enhance operational effectiveness. As current and future operational and strategic leaders, you have a direct role to play in this process.

“Innovation is not the exclusive responsibility of engineers, scientists or procurement specialists. Commanders are often best placed to identify operational gaps, articulate problems clearly and work towards developing solutions.”

He concluded that the value of the college would ultimately be measured not by the certificates alone, but by the quality of judgement the officers demonstrated in leadership and the results they delivered in the field.