By Musa Umar Bologi, Abuja,The Nation

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The Chief of Defence Staff, General Christopher Musa, said the Nigerian military will push for a comprehensive review of its laws to reflect modern warfare realities and the country’s complex security environment.

Gen. Musa said this at the presentation of a book titled: “Justice in the Nigerian Armed Forces – Law and Practice” by Col. Ukpe Ukpe (retd).

The CDS emphasised that the military justice system must evolve in line with global changes, stressing that legal reforms are necessary to strike a balance between discipline and fairness.

He said: “I’m aware that a strong and effective military is built not only on its operational capabilities, but also on the unwavering commitment to the rule of law and the fair administration of justice.

“We will also continue to review our own laws, to be in tandem with changing times, because we feel it’s important. For us as commanders, it’s all this good that we maintain that justice, fairness, and equity in everything that we do, both for our men and for the communities.”

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Gen. Musa noted that military personnel often face complex challenges when applying the law in combat environments, particularly when dealing with non-state actors who do not operate within the confines of international conventions.

The CDS argued that soldiers should not be left vulnerable to prosecution for decisions taken in the heat of battle while discharging their lawful duties.

“We must find a way to protect the military man from doing his duty. If he is not protected, he will not be willing to commit himself because he is afraid that after service, the system will come after him. No commander is happy seeing his men dragged into court cases after risking their lives for the nation,” he said.

Gen. Musa also raised concern about the frequent attrition of trained personnel from the armed forces, insisting that soldiers should be bound to serve a minimum number of years before exiting.

The Defence Chief warned that allowing trained men and women to leave at will would weaken the institution and deplete the nation’s investment in their training.

He noted that trained personnel should be retained for a certain number of years, adding that they shouldn’t leave until they’ve completed their service period. Otherwise, the country will suffer from constant training and brain drain, ultimately leaving no one to protect the nation.

Musa called for reform of Nigeria’s military justice system have grown louder in recent years, with experts warning that outdated legal provisions no longer reflect the realities of today’s asymmetric warfare.

He said: “The Nigerian Armed Forces still rely heavily on the Manual of Military Law 1972, inherited from Britain, even though the UK has since modernised and harmonised its own military justice into a single updated framework.”

On his part, Ukpe urged the Nigerian Armed Forces to embark on a comprehensive overhaul of its military justice system to eliminate outdated provisions and strengthen fairness in the treatment of personnel.

He stressed that the country must harmonise its rules across the Army, Navy, and Air Force in line with the recently enacted Harmonised Armed Forces Act 2024.

“Our continued reliance on obsolete rules undermines fairness, uniformity, and certainty in the dispensation of justice.

“Meanwhile, the British Armed Forces have modernised theirs into a single unified *Manual of Court Martial, last updated in 2024. Nigeria must do the same,” Ukpe said.