* Canvasses permanent CDS forum to tackle continent’s terrorism, cybercrime and transnational crime challenges 

Deji Elumoye in Abuja 

President Bola Tinubu has stressed the need for collective action and cooperation among African nations to effectively combat terrorism, cybercrime, transnational crime and other forms of insecurity on the continent.

He charged the continent’s defence chiefs to come up with a fresh doctrine of continental defence built on trust, shared intelligence and coordinated strategy.

The president, who stated this on Monday while declaring open the maiden edition of the African Chiefs of Defence Staff Summit 2025 in Abuja, said there must be a framework for African defence institutions to “speak with one voice and act with one purpose”.

President Tinubu, who was represented at the summit by Vice-President Kashim Shettima, said the extreme scale of threats across Africa has made it a must for nations to pause and reflect. 

“From the deserts where insurgency festers, to the high seas where piracy prowls, from the silent corridors of cybercrime to the ruthless networks of transnational criminals, none of these tragedies respects borders, and neither should our response. 

“What is true of our challenges must also be true of our resolve: we cannot neutralise these threats in isolation. This is the moment to reassess our military objectives in the collective aspiration to make Africa safe. It is time to forge a new doctrine of continental defence, one rooted in trust, shared intelligence and coordinated strategy,” he declared.

The president drew the attention of the defence chiefs to a stark reality about Africa, saying the continent is bound as a family, interwoven not just by borders but destiny.

President Tinubu noted that the geographical configuration of the continent has made its nations more than kith and kin.

According to him, “And in this family, defence is the first expression of love each member can promise the other,” while maintaining that the maiden summit is “not just a convergence of uniforms and titles” but a convocation of Africa’s guardians to the village square of ideas”. 

“There has never been a time when our collective defence invited us so urgently to sit together, to reason together. This Summit, the first of its kind, could not have come at a better time. I am, therefore, deeply honoured to welcome each of you to Abuja, the heart of Nigeria and the home of Africa’s endless possibilities,” he added.

President Tinubu called for the establishment of a permanent African Chiefs of Defence Staff Forum, a platform he said would avail the military chiefs the opportunity to keep dialoguing, strategizing, and coordinating their operations.

“I propose the establishment of a permanent African Chiefs of Defence Staff Forum, a platform for continuous dialogue, strategic foresight and operational coordination. Let us institutionalise this spirit of unity and make it a cornerstone of Africa’s security architecture,” he stated, urging them to ensure the summit does not end with just a standing ovation and accolade.

For Nigeria, the president said the position of the most populous nation on the continent had always been straightforward: “to be a good neighbour and a brother’s keeper in the struggle for peace.” 

He said the nation’s Armed Forces has always stood in concert with its neighbours, and even beyond “in peacekeeping missions, counterterrorism operations, and humanitarian endeavours”. 

“We hold no illusion: security is the foundation upon which the edifice of progress must stand. That is why we must use this Summit not merely as a meeting but as a covenant to deepen cooperation, through joint training, harmonised doctrines, and interoperable systems. For this to endure, we must build a framework where our defence institutions speak with one voice and act with one purpose,” he maintained.

Observing that modern day threats “are asymmetric, digital and often invisible”, President Tinubu implored African nations to “invest in cyber defence, artificial intelligence and indigenous military innovation,” even as he called for collaboration with the private sector to achieve the goal.

“Africa cannot remain merely a consumer of technology; we must be creators, innovators, and owners of the tools that secure our tomorrow. 

“I therefore urge this Summit to explore avenues for defence-industrial collaboration, research partnerships and African-led solutions to African security challenges. In this journey, I call upon the organised private sector to be our ally, to invest in the future of defence as an investment in the survival of nations,” he further said.

President Tinubu also paid tribute to the fallen soldiers, noting that they must be honoured by “ensuring their legacy is enshrined in the institutions we build, the values we uphold, and the partnerships we forge”.

Earlier in his remarks, the Minister of Defence, Alhaji Mohammed Badaru Abubakar, who was represented by the Minister of State for Defence, Alhaji Bello Matawale, said the summit hosted by Nigeria was historic and a bold statement of collective commitment of African nations towards ensuring a safer continent.

He acknowledged challenges across the world and emphasized the need for African-driven solutions and advocated strong partnerships in order to address the security challenges bedevilling the continent.

On his part, the Deputy Secretary-General of the United Nations and Chair of the United Nations Sustainable Development Group, Amina Mohammed, noted that the gathering marked the birth of a new era in African security cooperation, necessitating a united approach to tackle emerging threats.

“We cannot afford to be bystanders,” she stressed, while calling on military authorities to be proactive in view of new technologies explored by terror groups.

Also speaking, the President of the ECOWAS Commission, Dr. Omar Alieu Touray, represented by ECOWAS Commissioner for Political Affairs, Peace and Security, Ambassador Abdel-Fatau Musah, 

said the inaugural defence summit aligns with the Nigeria-led continental initiative borne out of President Tinubu’s security vision targeted at empowering the peace and security establishments in Nigeria for the benefit of the entire continent.

He noted that ECOWAS is delighted with the summit as stakeholders would examine the cardinal importance of regional cooperation in tackling insecurity, just as he said: “No region in Africa is spared from the scourge of insecurity.”

On his part, Nigeria’s Chief of Defence Staff, General Christopher Musa, charged fellow chiefs of defence staff and heads of the armed forces of allied countries to lead the charge in organizing forces and investing in cyber defence, artificial intelligence and indigenous military technology, explaining that without the aforementioned, it would be difficult to achieve security.

“As host nation, Nigeria is deeply committed to the ideals of regional stability and continental defence integration,” General Musa pledged.

In a goodwill message, former Chief of Staff to the late President Muhammadu Buhari, Prof. Ibrahim Gambari, applauded President Tinubu for facilitating the crucial summit which, according to him, is connected to the positive impact of the Nigerian Armed Forces across the continent.

He called for synergy in military coordination and intelligence sharing across the continent, maintaining that Africa must own and build its security architecture, thereby guaranteeing human and territorial security.

On his part, the Group Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), Bashir Ojulari, said through coordinated efforts by security agencies, crude theft and pipeline vandalism, especially within the Niger Delta region, have become old occurrences.

“We have seen the benefit of collaboration within the energy space, with significant improvement in our operating environment,” he added.

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