President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio, has urged the Nigerian military to display a deep commitment to professionalism, discipline and respect for human dignity in its operations.
Akpabio, represented by the chairman of the Senate Committee on Army, Sen. Abdulaziz Yar’adua, made the call at the Maiden High-Level Roundtable of the Irregular Warfare Centre of the National Defence College (NDC) on Thursday in Abuja.
The roundtable is for the presentation of the findings from the field research in the areas of the ongoing joint task force operations in Nigeria.
He said it was through those virtues that trust between the community and the military could be built, adding that citizens must see soldiers as warriors standing between orders and chaos.
According to him, people should be able to see the uniform not as a symbol of fear but as a banner of protection, honour and peace.
“To those who have fallen, we salute you. To those still standing, we honour you. To those yet to come, we prepare the ground with vision and resolve for you,’’ he said.
The senate president noted that the nation had gone beyond battlefields to listen to the silent cries of communities, search for effects of conflict and to chart a path for both security and development.
He commended NDC for the initiative, adding that strategic, inclusive and forward-looking thinking was imperative to defining the borders of the future and determining the survival of the nation.
He reiterated the commitment of the National Assembly to remain steadfast in supporting the military, not only in defending the nation’s sovereignty but in evolving into an elite world-class force.
“We will ensure you are equipped not only with weapons, but with training, intelligence, innovation, and the moral mandate of the people.
“We understand that the battles we fight are not only on the front line of war but also on the frontier of perception,’’ he said.
In his remarks, the commandant of NDC, Rear Adm. Olumuyiwa Olotu, said the field researches were conducted across the six geo-political zones in February and coordinated through the newly established Irregular Warfare Centre (IWC).
Olotu said that the IWC was established to close the gap in research efforts, especially in the areas of irregular and hybrid threats, to meet the evolving security dynamics in contemporary times.
According to him, this is consistent with the mandate of the college to undertake research in pursuit of its mandate as a center of excellence in research and training at the strategic level.
“Between February 16 and 25, six research teams comprising members of faculty and research fellows in the college navigated complex socio-political landscapes and traversed challenging terrains across the six geopolitical zones.
“They engaged various stakeholders drawn from state and local government officials, academics, defense and security services, traditional and religious institutions, local vigilantes, residents, and Civil Society Organisations, among other stakeholders.
“In the course of the field research, the teams conducted Key Informant Interviews (KIIs) and Focused Group Discussions (FGDs) and observed firsthand the realities on the ground.
“I consider it instructive to add that the field researches were not merely an academic exercise; rather, they were a mission to gather objective insights that can inform strategic decision-making and contribute to a more effective and sustainable approach to security and stability in Nigeria.
“No doubt, the data that have been gathered reveal the multifaceted realities as they apply in the various geo-political zones in the country,’’ he said.
Olotu added that the roundtable would be another starting point that further feeds existing knowledge on the subject matter in such a manner that stimulates open and constructive dialogue.
