By Bavoriat Clara
The Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), General Christopher Gwabin Musa, has stressed the need for joint initiatives in community engagement, urging the revitalization of jetties and waterway terminals as vital alternatives for transport and logistics in the South-South region. He noted that such investments would not only boost security but also drive economic growth.
General Musa made the call during a high-level meeting at Defence Headquarters, Abuja, on Wednesday, where the Managing Director of the South-South Development Commission (SSDC), Ms. Usoro Akpabio, led a delegation to engage Nigeria’s top military leadership.
Reaffirming the Armed Forces’ readiness to partner with the Commission, the CDS pledged full military support to safeguard critical infrastructure and applauded the SSDC’s proactive approach. He also commended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, for establishing the Commission at a decisive moment for peace and development in the South-South.
Ms. Akpabio, who was accompanied by SSDC board member Dr. Charles Sylvester Enukhowate and executive directors Hon. Joseph and Hon. Marcus Nle Ejii, outlined a comprehensive agenda for collaboration with the military.
Discussions focused on pressing security and developmental challenges in the region, including militancy, pipeline vandalism, illegal mining, and recurring community violence. The SSDC presented frameworks for intelligence sharing, rapid response, community engagement, and capacity building—initiatives designed to stabilize the region and ensure sustainable growth.
Observers described the engagement, championed under Akpabio’s leadership, as a turning point in civil-military cooperation and a bold step toward a peaceful, secure, and economically vibrant South-South.
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