Arewa Concerned Citizens Forum (ACCF) has called on President Bola Tinubu to prioritise full modernisation of the Nigerian Armed Forces, warning that no lasting security can be achieved without the deployment of cutting-edge military technology.
The group also vowed to mobilise one million volunteers across the North to support ongoing counter-terrorism operations and “crush terrorism in all its forms,” while reaffirming its support for the Chief of Defence Staff, General Christopher Musa.
Co-conveners of the forum, Hon. Victor Mathew Bobai, Alhaji Bello Usman Abubakar and the legal adviser, Barr. Ibrahim Kolo, said it was time the government matched its security promises with decisive action on military funding, equipment and capacity enhancement.
“Our soldiers are brave. Our commanders are capable. What they lack are the tools to win,” Bobai said, “This is not a time for politics. It is time for commitment. President Tinubu must urgently prioritize military modernisation as a legacy project.”
According to the conveners, the forum has launched a mobilisation campaign targeting one million northern youth volunteers who will work closely with security agencies in intelligence gathering, civic support and counter-insurgency awareness across local communities.
“We are mobilising one million patriotic young men and women who are ready to support the armed forces, confront insecurity head-on, and crush terrorism in our land,” he said.
ACCF decried continuous use of outdated weapons by Nigerian troops in a rapidly changing security landscape, even when the nature of warfare has changed.
“Our enemies are using drones, surveillance gadgets, and cyber-espionage. But we are still deploying our troops into the bush with rifles from the past century,” the group said.
The Arewa group called for the immediate integration of drone warfare systems, cyber-intelligence, artificial intelligence tools, and modern tactical gear in all branches of the armed forces as they issued a strong statement of solidarity with the Chief of Defence Staff, General Christopher Gwabin Musa, saying recent attacks and criticisms against him were part of a calculated effort to destabilise the military and roll back recent gains.
“We’ve seen this before. They did it to General Azazi. They are now doing it to General Musa. But this time, the North will not be silent. Any attempt to undermine the CDS would be met with massive opposition from patriotic Nigerians who understand the critical role he is playing in stabilising the country.”
