Danjuma urges service chiefs to end banditry, restore peace

Elder statesman and former Chief of Army Staff, Theophilus Danjuma (rtd), has called on the nation’s service chiefs to end the ongoing banditry and restore peace in Nigeria.

Danjuma emphasized that there are “no excuses” for the persistent insecurity, including abductions and killings that have plagued the country.

Speaking at the Armed Forces Officers’ Mess in Abuja during the launch of the book Big Boots: Lessons from My Military Service authored by retired Major-General Solomon Udounwa, Danjuma highlighted the urgent need for action.

“Our number one problem today is security. We must end this crisis and stop the killings happening across the country as soon as possible. Those of you still serving have no excuses. Absolutely none!” Danjuma asserted.

The retired general, who chaired the event, also praised the author for his dedication and commitment to excellence throughout his military career.

In response to Danjuma’s remarks, Chief of Defence Staff, General Christopher Musa, reaffirmed the military’s resolve to restore peace and stability.

He assured that the armed forces are well-positioned and working tirelessly to protect the nation while upholding the core values of service, integrity, and honor.

He stated, “Let me assure our distinguished chairman that the armed forces of Nigeria are well-positioned, willing, dedicated, and committed to ensuring that we restore peace and security in our dear country.

“We shall not be deterred. There will be challenges, yes, but that’s why we’re here. I want to assure you that we have learned a lot from your record, as have many distinguished senior officers who have modeled us throughout the years. We cannot afford to fail, and we will not fail.”

On his part, the author, Major-General Udounwa, said he was motivated by the desire to document his experiences for the younger generation.

“Well, I was motivated by several factors. The first is that the military profession thrives on experiential learning. Younger generations of military officers and soldiers need the experiences of those who served before them to learn, whether it’s issues of strategy, administration, operational management, and the rest.

“If you don’t document your experiences, they could be lost, and then those coming after you might not be able to learn from the exposure and training you had while in service.

“My book will be of interest to serving personnel, military historians, the academia, people interested in national and international security affairs, and the general public. That was my motivation.

“I hope the younger generation of officers who are still serving will learn from some of the challenges I faced and how I navigated through them.

“I hope they will learn that to serve in the military requires discipline, professionalism, integrity, character, courage, and many other virtues that an officer must display while undertaking his duties.”

He explained that the title of the book Big Boots was inspired by the size of his feet and boots during his military service.

Narrating his childhood experience, he said, “I faced bullies in primary school. But the day I decided to unleash my big feet on one of the bullies, it ended that reign of terror.

“When I joined the military, because my feet are very big, I was also given Big Boots, which went with me everywhere I served, and which I used in trampling on terrorists and every other threat to our national security.”