The Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), General Leo Irabor, on Wednesday said the military needs the experience and support of retired officers to make significant impact in peacebuilding.
He stated this in his opening remark at an interaction with retired senior military officers in the North Central Zone held in Makurdi.
Stating that the military has the capacity to tackle any form of insecurity, the CDS urged the retired officers not to consider themselves as retired military personnel, rather consider themselves as being in active service.
Irabor said, “To make significant impact in ensuring that peace takes preeminence in the country, we need to fall back on the retired military officers. This is because they also live among the people thereby having a lot to offer regarding security issues.
“Once a military officer you remain a military officer for life whether serving or retired. The motto of the country which is Unity, Peace and Faith is what we swore to defend and we are committed to it,” he added.
On his part, the Chief of Defence Civil Military Corporation (CDCIMIC), Rear Admiral Frederick Ugo, explained that the interaction with the retired officers was necessitated by the current insecurity in the country.
He said, “We have to tap from their adequate trainings, experience and years of service. They have the capacity to think logically in identifying the security challenges and proffer solutions.
“The security situation required that all hands must be on deck to nip it in the bud.”
Earlier, the Air Officer Commanding (AOC), Tactical Air Command, AVM Idi Lubo, in his address expressed confidence that something tangible would come out of the deliberations at the end of the day.
