Military will engage retired officers to boost security – CDS

Retired senior military officers will be engaged to overcome the security challenges facing the country, the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), Gen. Leo Iraboh, has said.

He announced this on Tuesday at a one-day interactive session with retired senior military officers from the North-East at the 23 Armoured Brigade in Yola, the Adamawa State.

Iraboh said the core objective of the parley was to engage the retired senior colleagues to cross-fertilise ideas on how to overcome the current insecurity situation in the region and other parts of the country.

“It is part of the reason I am here with my team: to interact with our retired senior colleagues, to look for holistic solutions about how to bring to an end the insecurity challenges in the region.

“We believe that as we interact and engage them, they will be ready to open up to us in areas that will enhance security, also be able to tell us areas of our mistakes and for us to make corrections,” Iraboh said.

According to the CDS, among the cardinal objectives of the parley is the need to come up with solutions, as security is everybody’s business.

Iraboh noted that the one-day meeting was an opportunity, by extension, to reach out to the people of the Northeast, to show appreciation to them for supporting the Nigeria military and ask them to give more.

The CDS said he believed that solutions to the lingering security challenges in the region lie with the people.

“We believe that, principally, the solution to the Northeast problem will be largely dependent on the inputs of those who come from the region. Also, we believe that in the coming days, security will improve and be better in the region and Nigeria,” he said.

The GOC of 3 Division, Maj.-Gen. Ibrahim Alli, said among the significance of the interactive session was the meeting with men of proven integrity and experience that come from the region.

He spoke at the event through the Commander of 23 Armoured Brigade, Yola, Brig.-Gen. Aminu Garba

Alli said, “I believe no one is happy with the current situation. The interactive session is for us to look at you to speak to us on the exact issues. This is because we believe there are issues that we have not actually viewed in the manner you look at them.

“And being men of proven integrity and experience, we believe you have the desire and will to turn around the fortunes of the zone, where everyone of us will be happy.”