CDS ATTENDS HIGH LEVEL MULTI-SECTOR CONFERENCE IN MAIDUGURI ..... Flags-Off Student-Led Save Teams To Counter Extremism In Northeast Nigeria

"You are the torchbearers of new values." CDS.

.... Stresses the pivotal role of students and educational institutions in counter-radicalisation efforts.

.... Encourages responsible use of social media, peer advocacy, and civic vigilance as non-kinetic tools in the fight against extremism.

Nigeria's Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), General Christopher Gwabin Musa, has inaugurated the Students Against Violent Extremism (SAVE 1 and SAVE 2) Task Forces at a high-level multi-sector conference held in Maiduguri, the Borno State capital. 

The conference, which took place on Saturday 28 June 2025, focused on countering extremist ideology, insurgency, and terrorism in the North-East region.

The event; a One-Day forum organised by the Kaltum Foundation for Peace, was in collaboration with the Network of Civil Society Organisations and the Borno State Youth Parliament. It brought together, students, traditional leaders, civil society actors, and key security stakeholders to foster dialogue and build grassroots resistance against radicalisation and violent extremism.

General Musa, in his keynote address, described his return to Maiduguri as a “profound homecoming,” reflecting on his extensive operational engagements in the region including his leadership of Operation LAFIYA DOLE and Operation HADIN KAI. He commended the resilience of the North-East people and urged the youth to become front-line advocates for peace.

"You are the torchbearers of new values,” the CDS declared, “and you must choose paths that build rather than break our society. He stressed the pivotal role of students and educational institutions in counter-radicalisation efforts, encouraging responsible use of social media, peer advocacy, and civic vigilance as non-kinetic tools in the fight against extremism.

He noted that violent ideologies thrive on misinformation, identity distortion, and silence in the face of suspicious activities.

The Chief of Defence Staff maintained that, “Silence is no longer an option. The evil ignored today may haunt us tomorrow.”

Highlighting the power of youth engagement, General Musa officially launched the SAVE Task Forces, calling on student members to be ambassadors of peace and champions of unity, committed to identifying and supporting vulnerable peers while promoting inclusive narratives of peace and national cohesion.

The CDS also expressed appreciation for the review of his book, “Taking Stand Against Insurgency, Terrorism and Banditry: Admonition to Nigerian Youth,” urging open feedback to enhance the national counterinsurgency strategy. He emphasised that continuous review and innovation are critical to outsmarting evolving threats.

General Musa extended special thanks to the Governors of Borno and Yobe States, as well as the President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, for their steadfast support in rebuilding the region under the Renewed Hope Agenda.

The Chief of Defence Staff CDS, in a show of solidarity with the people of Borno, General Musa also condemned the recent cowardly attacks by suicide bombers, offering sympathy and encouraging continued resilience.

The event concluded with a powerful message: the youth of the North-East are not only the future; they are the force for peace today.

This was contained in a statement issued and signed by Brigadier General Tukur Gusau, Director, Defence Information.