Africa’s Security Chiefs Shine Spotlight On Transborder Crimes Threatening Africa’s Security
Africa’s porous borders and rising transnational crimes formed the agenda as defence chiefs from all 54 African countries gathered in Abuja for the maiden African Chiefs of Defence Staff Summit.
The meeting, tagged “Combating Contemporary Threats to Regional Peace and Security in Africa: The Role of Strategic Defence Collaboration”, is the first time Africa’s top military leadership assembled under one roof.
It signalled a decisive shift from decades of externally influenced conflict resolution to a doctrine of continental self-reliance.
Declaring the summit open on behalf of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Nigeria’s Vice President Kashim Shettima, declared that Africa’s security must be built and owned by Africans, not outsourced to foreign powers,
The Vice President, warned that Africa’s security threats from terrorism and piracy to cybercrime and economic sabotage respect no borders, hence its response must transcend borders, urging a doctrine rooted in intelligence-sharing, joint training, and indigenous defence innovation.
He called for private sector investment and proposed a permanent African Chiefs of Defence Forum to drive collaboration.
Nigeria’s Chief of Defence Staff, General Christopher Gwabin Musa, opined that the enemy is within; hence, all nations must be the architects of their defence and security.
He stressed intelligence-sharing, joint operations, and regional interoperability as urgent priorities.
Global voices added both support and caution. UN Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed hailed the summit as a turning point but reminded leaders that poverty, inequality, and climate vulnerability still fuel instability.
ECOWAS Commissioner Abdel-Fatau Musah warned of the Sahel’s rising terror toll, calling for stronger UN funding.
Veteran diplomat Professor Ibrahim Gambari was blunt: “No one can do for Africa what Africans must do for themselves.”
The summit also showcased African-made military technologies, signalling a push towards homegrown solutions.
Beyond speeches, it carried a symbolic weight and Abuja became the stage where Africa’s resolve to own its security future was affirmed.
As Shettima declared, “Africa’s security can no longer be outsourced,” the gathering left behind a mandate for collective self-reliance, innovation, and solidarity in safeguarding the continent’s destiny.
