By Nkechi Eze
The Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), General Christopher Gwabin Musa, has kicked off a Commanders’ Course. At the event hosted by the Army War College Nigeria (AWCN), the CDS emphasized the importance of strategic leadership and collaboration among various agencies in addressing national security challenges.
Delivering his lecture titled “Crisis Management Mechanism in Nigeria: The Armed Forces of Nigeria in Perspective,” to participants of AWCN Course 9/2025 at the College Lecture Hall, Asokoro, Abuja, the CDS stressed the importance of effective coordination, inter-agency collaboration, and proactive response strategies in handling crises across the country.

The lecture focused on Nigeria’s crisis management framework and the critical role of the Armed Forces of Nigeria (AFN) in mitigating security challenges. According to General Musa, the objective of the lecture was to highlight Nigeria’s crisis management structure, as designed in the national security architecture, and provide an in-depth understanding of the military’s roles and responsibilities in crisis management.
General Musa emphasized the importance of effective coordination, inter-agency collaboration, and proactive response strategies in handling crises across the country.

The lecture centered on five pivotal themes: Nigeria’s framework for crisis management, the defense sector’s crisis management structure, operational protocols for defense crisis management, and the challenges hindering effective defense crisis management.
While discussing the way forward in addressing Nigeria’s multifaceted security challenges, the CDS stressed that the Defence Headquarters (DHQ) plays a crucial role in planning and executing military operations, working closely with relevant Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) to ensure a holistic approach to crisis management.

Major General Umar Muhammed Alkali, Commandant of the Army War College Nigeria, thanked General Musa for his engaging session with the participants.

Noting that the lecture offers valuable lessons that will sharpen the strategic thinking and operational skills of the officers in training.