Permanent Secretary Pheelangwa Visits Army Headquarters, Pledges Stronger Civil–Military Synergy

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The Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Defence, Mr. Richard Pheelangwa, on Thursday undertook a strategic familiarisation visit to the Army Headquarters in Abuja, pledging robust institutional support to the Nigerian Army in the discharge of its constitutional mandate.

During the high-level engagement with the Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Waidi Shaibu, at the Army Headquarters, Pheelangwa underscored the Ministry’s commitment to strengthening civil–military collaboration and deepening institutional synergy in the interest of national security.

The Permanent Secretary explained that the visit was designed to consolidate working relationships between the Ministry and the Army, particularly in addressing administrative and operational challenges. He reiterated the Ministry’s resolve to eliminate bureaucratic bottlenecks, enhance budgetary performance and execution, ensure timely service delivery, and entrench transparency in procurement processes.

According to him, the Ministry remains steadfast in its responsibility to provide the necessary policy and administrative backing required for the Armed Forces to effectively protect the lives and property of Nigerians.

Pheelangwa further emphasized the importance of personnel welfare and human capital development, noting that the Ministry is intensifying engagements with the Defence Industries Corporation of Nigeria (DICON) to boost local capacity and achieve more sustainable outcomes in defence production and logistics.

In his response, the Chief of Army Staff, Waidi Shaibu, welcomed the visit and outlined critical operational priorities requiring urgent attention to enhance the Army’s combat efficiency.

He highlighted the need for expansion of the Army’s aviation wing to guarantee rapid deployment and timely operational response across theatres of operation. He also called for an increase in the number of armed drones as force multipliers in modern warfare.

The Army Chief stressed the importance of timely release of capital budget allocations to facilitate procurement, infrastructure development, and operational readiness. Additionally, he pointed to the urgent requirement for adequate accommodation facilities for newly recruited troops, as well as the deployment of permanent teaching staff in defence schools to sustain training standards and institutional excellence.

Lieutenant General Shaibu assured the Permanent Secretary of the Army’s full cooperation with the Ministry in achieving shared national security objectives, affirming that enhanced collaboration would translate into improved operational outcomes.

Senior officials present at the meeting included the Director of Press and Public Relations, the Director of Army Affairs, and Principal Staff Officers from the Army Headquarters.

The visit marks a renewed push to align administrative oversight with operational demands as the Federal Government intensifies efforts to strengthen national defence architecture and security delivery mechanisms.

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