Peace is expensive, but insecurity costs more – CDS Irabor

 • Lt. General Lucky Irabor, Chief of Defence Staff has said that though maintaining peace and security in a country is expensive

 • Irabor stated this in a goodwill message at the opening of an ongoing special summit on national security

 • Sacrifices of various forms including paying the supreme price is also a cost component to the peace

The Chief of Defence Staff, Lt. General Lucky Irabor has said that though maintaining peace and security in a country is expensive, letting insecurity to persist costs much more than curbing it.

The CDS who stated this in a goodwill message at the opening of an ongoing special summit on national security organised by the House of Representatives in Abuja, also reiterated the commitment of the armed forces to the promotion and protection of constitutional order in Nigeria.

“Ladies and gentlemen, let’s be clear. Peace is very expensive. Very expensive. But insecurity is more expensive than peace. Insecurity in its various dimensions is more expensive.

“And if perhaps we look at the component costs of peace, love for country, which of course has made our traditional rulers to extend their hands and be in Abuja to be part of this discussion while everyone here having to leave every other engagement to be here. It is because of the love for the country and patriotism.

This of course is the cause of the death of Attahiru Ibrahim, Lieutenant General and other generals and personnel of the armed forces whose recent death exemplifies.

“We equally have our officers and men on the frontlines in various states of operations that have paid these prices. It is all parts and parcels of the cost of peace,” the CDS said.

General Irhabor added that the role of the military to keep the territorial integrity of Nigeria cannot be overstated, as its duty to promote conditional order remains key to guaranteeing national security.

“National security seeks to guarantee the safety and wellbeing of the state and its citizens. The armed forces of Nigeria and all other Security agencies are tools of policy implementation on issues of national security.

“They of course are in the frontline in terms of policy implementation, but as tools, policies formulated are what they implement in the area of defence and security. So, I see the reason for which I found our invitation to be very expedient.