The National Security Adviser (NSA), Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, has revealed that Nigeria stood on the edge of collapse in 2022, grappling with existential threats that endangered its cohesion and survivalโuntil President Bola Tinubu took charge in 2023.
Delivering a keynote address in Abuja during the 50th anniversary of the Nigerian Defence Academyโs 18 Regular Course, Ribadu painted a grim picture of the nationโs pre-2023 state, marked by escalating security breakdowns nationwide.
Speaking on the theme โVeterans As Significant National Assets,โ the NSA proposed a National Veteran Security Initiative to harness the skills of retired military personnel in intelligence, specialized training, and conflict resolution.
He highlighted how no region was spared from the turmoilโwhether the Boko Haram-ravaged North-east, bandit-infested North-west, militancy-prone Niger Delta, or the secessionist tensions gripping the South-east.
“Our nation was hemorrhaging from all sides,” Ribadu stated, “but decisive leadership has since steered us away from that precipice.”
The security czar emphasized that while progress has been made, the Tinubu administration remains committed to fully securing every inch of Nigerian territory.
According to him, โbold stridesโ have been made in restoring security and rebuilding national confidence across the country.
He disclosed that the governmentโs counterinsurgency efforts have so far led to the neutralisation of over 13,500 terrorists and criminals, while more than 124,000 Boko Haram and ISWAP fighters, along with their families, have surrendered.
Ribadu also recommended the active engagement of military veterans in the ongoing fight against insecurity, emphasising the value of their experience and knowledge in addressing complex threats.
โSecurity is not just the job of soldiers and police.
โIt is everybodyโs business and our success is due to the unified approach of all security agencies, working as one team.
โVeterans are being called backโnot to the battlefield, but to the strategy room, to the classrooms, and into their communities.
โAt a time when security threats have evolved beyond traditional battlefields, Nigeria is looking back to move forwardโby turning to those who once stood at the front lines.
โYou are not just assets to be admired, you are partners to be engaged, advisors to be consulted, and leaders to be followed,โ he said.
Ribadu commended the veterans whom he said helped shape Nigeriaโs defence landscape through decades of service, from battling civil unrest and insurgencies to peacekeeping operations abroad.
According to Ribadu, this makes them a strategic national asset in the countryโs current security architecture.
The NSA outlined a plan to systematically integrate veterans into Nigeriaโs contemporary security strategy by creating a National Veteran Security Initiative, a platform to build a national database of veteran expertise.
In his remarks, the Minister of State for Defence, Bello Matawalle, lauded the initiative and urged NDA alumni across generations to emulate the Course 18 cohort in upholding the ideals of patriotism and service.
Matawalle pledged the commitment of the federal government to continue to enhance the welfare of the veterans.
The Chairman of the occasion, retired Maj. Gen. Ike Nwachukwu, who served as the Adjutant and Commander of Course 18 in 1975, praised their enduring loyalty and contributions to nation building.
Nwachukwu, who was a former Minister of Foreign Affairs and ex-military Governor of Imo State, lauded the efforts of Lt. Gen. Azubuike Ihejirika, a Course 18 member, as the 22nd Chief of Army Staff.
He said that Ihejirika proudly spearheaded crucial counterinsurgency operations and expanded military formations nationwide between 2010 and 2014.
In his remarks, Ihejirika advocated for compulsory military training for all Nigerians to instill a culture of patriotism, discipline, and national unity.
Royal Father of the Day and Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Saโad Abubakar, also a member of RC 18, called for sustained national devotion.
He urged veterans to lead in inspiring civic responsibility.
Earlier his remarks, the President of 18th Regular Course, retired Air Commodore Isaac Oguntuyi, revealed that only 47 of the 149 cadets who began training on June 30, 1975, are still alive.
He paid special tribute to Saโad Abubakar and Ihejirika for their historic accomplishments, describing them as pillars of the groupโs enduring legacy.
Among the dignitaries who graced the occasion were Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), Gen. Christopher Musa, representatives of the Minister of Defence and representatives of Service Chiefs.
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