The Minister of Defence, retired General Christopher Musa, has hailed the Nigerian Legion as a vital national institution with a rich history of service, sacrifice, and patriotism, while emphasising the need for deliberate reforms to maintain its relevance amid evolving security and economic challenges.
General Musa made the remarks during the inauguration of an 18-member committee tasked with reclaiming ungoverned spaces for productive economic use and repositioning the Nigerian Legion Corps of Commissionaires and Veterans as active contributors to national stability. The event took place at the Ministry of Defence Headquarters in Abuja.
The initiative seeks to broaden Nigeria’s defence framework beyond traditional battlefield operations by integrating military veterans into roles that support national security and development. It reflects a strategic shift linking security outcomes with socio-economic interventions, veterans’ welfare, and community trust building.
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Speaking through the Ministry’s Permanent Secretary, Mr Richard Pheelangwa, General Musa stressed that the programme demonstrates the government’s commitment to empowering veterans who served with honour, enabling them to lead productive and dignified lives while contributing meaningfully to national development and internal security.
He highlighted that while military operations remain essential, lasting peace requires addressing the socio-economic conditions that fuel insecurity. This approach marks a move away from reliance on purely offensive military measures towards inclusive, people-centred security solutions.
The committee’s mandate includes positioning veterans to support economic development, deploying them to secure ungoverned areas, improving oversight, and enhancing the operational effectiveness of the Nigerian Legion Corps of Commissionaires. These measures are designed to strengthen veterans’ reintegration and their contributions to national security.
General Musa urged committee members to adopt innovative, forward-looking strategies in line with contemporary security challenges. He noted that integrating veterans into security and development initiatives would boost intelligence gathering, improve local ownership, and deepen trust between communities and the state.
He expressed confidence that the committee’s recommendations would underpin a comprehensive national strategy for securing ungoverned spaces while promoting inclusive economic growth and long-term stability.
The committee draws membership from the Ministry’s Joint Services Department, the Nigerian Legion, Defence Headquarters, Defence Intelligence Agency, the Nigerian Army, Navy, and Air Force, as well as representatives from the offices of the Ministers of Defence and State Defence.
