NILDS Advocates Enhanced Civil-Military Relations for Peace Building

The Director General of the National Institute for Legislative and Democratic Studies (NILDS), Professor Abubakar Olanrewaju Sulaiman, has emphasized the importance of functional and results-oriented Civil-Military Relations to address Nigeria’s security challenges.

He made this statement while opening a one-day public dialogue on “Enhancing the Oversight Role and Capacity of National Assembly Security Committees in Strengthening Civil-Military Relations Through Conflict Resolution and Peace building.”

The event, organized by NILDS’ Legislative Centre for Security Analysis (LeCeSA) in collaboration with the United States Institute of Peace (USIP), was held in Abuja.

Professor Sulaiman, underlined the critical role of collaboration between civil institutions, particularly the Legislature and the Armed Forces, in tackling security threats. He stressed that the Legislature’s oversight functions are fundamental to ensuring transparency, accountability, and the efficient use of resources in the defense as well as security sectors, urging participants to approach their duties with patriotism.

Speaking as the event’s moderator, Professor Istifanus Zabadi of Bingham University highlighted the supremacy of the constitution in guiding Civil-Military Relations. He called for a balanced approach, urging the Military to exercise authority with a human face while encouraging the National Assembly to engage with the Armed Forces respectfully and make informed, depoliticized decisions in holding the defense sector accountable.

A statement by the Media Adviser to DG NILDS, Mohammad Abdulkadri, says the dialogue brought together participants from diverse stakeholder groups, including academics, representatives from the Nigerian Army, Navy, Air Force, and the National Defence College (NDC).

Discussions featured robust contributions, questions, and answers on improving civil-military collaboration for sustainable peace.
The event underscores NILDS’ commitment to fostering strategic partnerships and creating platforms for dialogue that strengthen national security through justice, transparency, and institutional synergy.