From Timothy Olanrewaju, Maiduguri
Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lt Gen Olufemi Oluyede, has vowed that the Nigerian military would not allow terrorists, bandits and other violent armed groups to succeed.
He made this known when he addressed army operation commanders and senior officers at the end of a three-day COAS Bi-Annual Conference in Maiduguri, capital of Borno on Friday.
“We are faced with an adversary that threatens the very fabric of our socio-cultural heritage. They seek to disrupt our way of life and destroy the society that our forefathers built. We will not allow such to happen,” he declared.
Oluyede also announced plans by the Nigerian Army to introduce more combat equipment in the various military operations across the country to step up troops efficiency.
“We need to understand that the strength of the Nigeria Army does not solely lie in the weapons we place on the battlefield, but more in the will of our soldiers who wield them,” he stated.
He urged commanders and senior army officers to show exemplary leadership by mentoring and providing guidance to young officers and soldiers in the service.
The army chief earlier commissioned five newly acquired All-Terrain Combat Vehicles for use of troops on battlefields in extremely difficult terrains in the North East.
The Managing Director of the production company, Mr. Zach Duwa, said the vehicles are equipped with night vision camera, which allows the troops to ‘traverse in pitch dark nights’ to their objectives.