By Emeka Obasi
Chief of Defence Staff, Chris Musa, spent his early years in Sokoto, his place of birth. From primary education in Marafa Danbaba to Vocational training in Gaummi, he remained in the Caliphate until the end of secondary school at Federal Government College, Sokoto in 1985.
That was when he moved to his home State, Kaduna, as a student of the College of Advanced Studies Zaria in 1986. That same year, Musa gained admission to the Nigerian Defence Academy, Kaduna as member of the Regular Course ( RC ) 38.
Commissioned Second Lieutenant in 1991, he rose steadily to the rank of a Four - Star General in 2023, following his appointment as Chief of Defence Staff, by President Bola Tinubu. There is no question about his commitment all these 32 years where he has moved from training to combat.
On December 3, 2023, Nigeria Army drones hit wrong target in the Tudun Biri area of Igabi, Kaduna State, leaving about 120 persons dead. Unfortunately, the victims were said to be celebrating the Muslim festival of Eid al - Maulud.
Initial accounts blamed it on the Nigerian Air Force. In a swift reaction, the Air Force, through their spokesman, Air Commodore Edward Gabkwet, announced that they had no hand in the error bombing. That, to me, was not tactically proper.
The right man to do that job should have been Brigadier General Tukur Gusau, Director Defence Information ( DDI ). The war against terror is neither about the Nigeria Army or the Air Force. It is the business of the Armed Forces. And there is a Chief of Defence Staff ( CDS ).
As soon as the Air Force reacted, politics, religion and ethnicity surfaced, to paint a different picture of what transpired. Various shades of jingoists had a field day selling their agenda, all aimed at polluting the already fouled polity.
Some used the opportunity to call for the head of General Musa. It did not come to me as a surprise. Suddenly, they remembered his Christian background. When that did not sink deep, they cited his Zangon Kataf origin, to gain relevance.
This Musa, we know. Apart from the NDA, he furthered his education at the Military Science National Defence University, China and the United States War College. The CDS is a warrior who commanded 73 Battalion, led Sector 3, Operation Lafiya Dole and distinguished himself commanding Sector 3, Multi National Task Force, Lake Chad.
He is battle tested, having vanquished terrorists during his stint as Theatre Commander, Operation Hadi Kai. It was from there that Musa was moved to Jaji as Commander Nigeria Army Infantry Corps, replacing Maj. Gen. Victor Ezugwu.
For additional information, Musa also commanded Depot, Nigeria Army Zaria. Therefore, he understands Kaduna so well and knows all the flash points, from Birnin Gwari to Dogon Dawa to Buruku, Pole Wire, Abuja - Kaduna Highway and beyond.
And because he is dealing with bandits and many of those threatening national unity, adversaries found their voice after the error bombing. Regrettably, Friendly Fire or what some call Occupational Hazard, is inevitable in war.
Chief of Air Staff, Hassan Abubakar, served with the United Nations Organisation Mission ( MONUC ) in the Democratic Republic of Congo. One incident comes to mind. In June 2021, a South African soldier, Simanga Khuselo, died as a result of Friendly Fire, in Kilia near Beni, North Kivu.
Right here in Nigeria, more than 300 citizens have fallen to Friendly Fire since 2017. In Rann, Borno State over 120 died when an IDP Camp was hit by air strike. In April 2021, soldiers were bombed by the Air Force in Mainok. In September, Buhari village, Yunusari, Yobe State lost nine souls. Musa was not in charge.
There has been this smouldering campaign to stain Musa's honour. In November 2023, one online publication spread the false news that he was dead. The CDS was out of the country on official duty. Apparently, the grapevine mistook his absence for calamity.
Three months earlier, there was a trending video of one Muslim teacher, Malam Lawal Abubakar Triumph, demarketing Gen. Musa, a man who never lobbied to be made Service Chief but was only chosen on account of his professional delivery.
The Services must work together. Musa is of NDA RC 38. The others are mates, all of RC 39. Chief of Naval Staff Ikechukwu Ogalla and Air Chief, Abubakar have been buddies right from their Nigeria Military School Zaria, days. One is from Enugu Ezike, the other hails from Shanono, Kano yet they have remained close.
That is the kind of synergy we need. Chief of Army Staff, Taoreed Lagbaja, like Abubakar, was in the Congo with MUNOC. The Air Force Image Maker served as an observer there. Like Gen. Musa, Gabkwet also lived in China although as a Defence Attache. Both men were born in December.
There must be no distractions. Apologies have been tendered. Vice President Kashim Shettima has visited and condoled with families of the dead. The heat is on the terrorists. That name, Gen. Chris Musa, strikes bandits like missile.
In 1969, soldiers of Biafra's 61 Battalion, were killed by their Saladin Armoured vehicle which mistook them for Federal Third Marine Commandos, near Opobo Junction, Aba. In 1994, two US fighter jets shot down their Army helicopters in Northern Iraq. Unfortunately, these things happen. NNL.
