The Chief of Defence Staff, CDS, Gen. Christopher Musa, has called for a comprehensive approach to address security challenges by integrating military strategies with diplomatic efforts, community engagements and good governance.

Musa made the call at the opening of the International Security Management Course, ISMC-5, organised by the Nigerian Institute of International Affairs, NIIA, on Monday in Abuja.

The course with the theme, “Emerging Security and Economic Issues in the ECOWAS Sub-region”, was organised in collaboration with Peace Building Development Consult (PBDC) and the ECOWAS Commission.

The CDS was represented by the Deputy Director of Peacekeeping Operations, Defense Headquarters, Brig.-Gen. Raymond Utsaha.

He said the course showed a growing realisation of the collective responsibility by other notable institutions in addressing insecurity and aligned with the whole society addressing insecurity in Nigeria and the sub-region.

According to him, today’s rapidly evolving geo-political landscape and the complex security challenges have made effective security management more crucial.

“These security challenges range from terrorism, cyber-threats, transnational organised crimes, geo-political tensions, and environmental disasters, amongst others.

“Accordingly, we must also recognise our approach to these challenges needs to be comprehensive and integrate military strategies with diplomatic efforts, community engagements, and good governance.

“Thus, a sophisticated understanding of both national and international security dynamics in this regard is important,” he said.

Integrate military strategy, diplomacy, community efforts to tackle insecurity – CDS