I was in the Republic of Türkiye recently to attend the 5th edition of the Antalya Diplomacy Forum (ADF2026), hosted by the country’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs. It was such a robust gathering of representatives of several countries. It was one of the few instances where I had to wear a suit. I read some comments about my attire, and they were indeed funny and devoid of mischief in my opinion. A friend jokingly suggested that I wear suits more often. I disagreed with him, arguing that I don’t feel comfortable in them. And we all joked about it. Just as there were comments about my attire, there have been comments about the defence pact Nigeria entered with the Republic of Türkiye.
I consider myself a privileged Nigerian who has been fortunate to hold some sensitive and top positions in the defence sector in the country. And my technical judgment holds the ace. I rose through the ranks to become a four-star General in the Armed Forces of Nigeria and am now the Minister of Defence. I am better positioned to know when to pull the brakes on defence partnerships with other countries. This is an attribute that I hold jealously.
The 200 marksmen
One of the key takeaways from my trip was that 200 military personnel from our Armed Forces are scheduled to travel to Türkiye for advanced training in counter-insurgency operations. This is not the first of its kind, and it won’t be the last either. I recall that, as a senior officer between 2012 and 2013, I travelled to China with other officers for training at the International College of Defence Studies, National Defence University. Why is this information necessary? It is to highlight the fact that overseas training in the military is routine. As a General who once participated in such foreign training under a particular defence pact with foreign nations, I won’t authorise 200 military personnel to travel to Türkiye if the experience and exposure won’t be beneficial to the country. In this case, if I had my way, I would have sent a higher number to Türkiye.
As we depend on other countries for our defence capabilities, other countries also depend on us for their defence capabilities. For example, Nigeria has been a major contributor to the defence capabilities of Liberia. This is part of a long-term bilateral agreement where Nigerian military personnel help oversee the transformation of the Armed Forces of Liberia (AFL) into a professional force. Interestingly, we do not have a military base in Liberia. But we have a high-level military advisory and training team in Liberia. This is standard protocol in international defence diplomacy. The strength of a military is often measured by the strength of its alliances.
Irregular warfare
There is a segment in the country that believes military might is enough to address the security challenges in the country. And they are vocal about it. In warfare, to pull the trigger is one thing; to aim at the target is another thing. Several factors interrelate to make a mission successful or otherwise. The Armed Forces of Nigeria have evolved tremendously. I understood this trend very early, and I elected to put issues in proper perspective whenever the need arises. The military is my turf. And this is not happenstance. I was a former commander in the Theatre of Operations in the Northeast, Commander of the Infantry Corps of the Nigerian Army, and Chief of Defence Staff of the Armed Forces of Nigeria. This is why I speak often.
I recall that while I was the Chief of Defence Staff, I travelled for an official engagement in Doha, and after the engagement, I was approached by Al Jazeera if I could spare a few minutes in their studio to talk about the security situation in Nigeria. I could not say no to the offer because I had “something to say” as the Chief of Defence Staff of Nigeria about the efforts in addressing our security challenges. I also recall that it was also whispered in some quarters that I went all the way to Doha for a TV engagement. This has been the case most of the time. There is a concept called information warfare. It is as crucial as infantry warfare. It is the strategic use of information to achieve a competitive advantage over an opponent. I am conversant with this, and Nigerians should expect to hear more from me. It is intentional and strategic.
The Antalya Diplomacy Forum (ADF2026) was an instance where I justified my military medals and position as Minister of Defence. I had “something to say” about the defence pact with Türkiye. The agreement to send 200 Nigerian military personnel to Türkiye was not deliberated and signed at the Antalya Diplomacy Forum. It was a forum that explored how to “best manage uncertainties and address pressing issues while preparing for future challenges.” My Turkish counterpart, Yaşar Güler, an incredible gentleman at the head of the Turkish National Defence Ministry, was also in attendance. The forum allowed us to speak about the ongoing defence pact between both countries at that global stage.
Speculation and reality conflict
The conversation around setting up a Turkish Military Base in Nigeria is a good example of when speculation and reality conflict. A defence pact with a foreign country has several components. For example, the need to travel to the base of the defence partner or for the defence partner to come to your base. These are standard protocols that don’t violate sovereignty. The defence pact with Türkiye is not structured to violate our sovereignty. Let’s desist from speculating about what is not. Signing a defence pact with Türkiye is a milestone. Its defence capabilities are ranked top-tier in the global firepower index. It is one of the largest exporters of arms and ammunition in the world.
What is a military base? This is the question we should ask ourselves. What does it translate to, and what are the fears around it? For example, if tomorrow a detachment of Turkish military personnel is dispatched to Nigeria to train our officers and men in counter-insurgency strategies, is that a military base? Would it require the hoisting of the Turkish flag at military formations around the country? Our defence pact with Türkiye is classified as a Security Force Assistance (SFA) and not the establishment of a military base. This is the A-Z of the defence pact that was signed.
We are experiencing several layers of security threats across the country, and there are sustained efforts to address them. This is why I have to “speak often”. With Türkiye, we didn’t just sign a defence pact. We got a great partner in our efforts towards addressing the security situation in the country.
* General Musa, OFR, GSS, rtd, former chief of defence staff, is the minister of defence of the Federal Republic of Nigeria
