THE Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), General Christopher Musa, expressed concern over military coups in several West African nations, stating that these actions have led to unintended consequences and pose a threat to democratic values in the region.
He made these remarks today during the 42nd Ordinary Meeting of the ECOWAS Committee of Chiefs of Defence Staff in Abuja.
General Musa emphasized the need to eliminate the threat of military takeovers, asserting that such actions undermine the fundamental principles and responsibilities associated with military service.
He also noted that in democratic nations, the military must uphold democratic values in accordance with their constitutional principles.
Additionally, Defence Minister Mohammed Abubakar and Foreign Affairs Minister Yusuf Tuggar urged the regional service chiefs to address terrorism through effective collaboration to combat the illicit trade of small arms and light weapons in West Africa.
The meeting, held at the Defence Headquarters in Abuja, focused on regional security, particularly as the bloc considers establishing a force to address security challenges.
Of the 15 expected defence chiefs, those from Cape Verde, Burkina Faso, Mali, Niger, Guinea, Guinea Bissau, and Togo were not present.
At the conclusion of the previous meeting in August of last year, the defence chiefs agreed on a comprehensive approach that encompassed political, security, and diplomatic strategies to address the situation in Niger Republic.
The military governments in Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger had formed a mutual defense pact, withdrawing from the broader Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) in January.
In July, the leaders of these three countries participated in the inaugural summit of the Alliance of Sahel States (AES), which was established following their exit from ECOWAS.
Their departure from ECOWAS was partially driven by accusations that Paris was manipulating the organization and failing to provide adequate support for anti-jihadist initiatives.
