The Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lt-Gen. Faruk Yahaya, has said he would no longer tolerate the situation where criminals attack military formations at will. He said this at the closing of the Chief of Army Staff Combined Second and Third Quarters Conference 2021, in Abuja:
“I want to remind formation and unit commanders on the need to ensure adequate security of their bases, barracks and cantonment. Commanders would be held responsible for any security breach. The importance of leadership cannot be overemphasized especially in the military.
“This was aptly captured in the lecture we had on day one of the conference. It is the responsibility of a leader to develop and earn the trust of his/her subordinates. Trust built on good character is the bedrock for effective leadership geared towards achieving results.
“Therefore, Commanders at all levels must provide quality and good leadership while imbibing the core values of the Nigerian Army.
“Commanders must also ensure that they remain selfless, build and earn the respect and confidence of their subordinates in order to lead effectively.
“In the conduct of our operations, commanders must ensure that their troops maintain a state of constant alertness and vigilance at all times to avoid any surprise attack by the adversary.
“It is also the task of commanders to take care of the resources and logistics put at their disposal for the conduct of operations towards achieving results. Laziness and failure attitudes on the part of commanders would not be tolerated. Failure is failure irrespective of the circumstances.
“I have directed the appropriate departments to come up with modalities for the evaluation of the performance of commanders in the course of their command. Additionally, commanders must continue to cooperate and work in synergy with our sister services, other security agencies and stakeholders while developing novel processes, strategies, and tactics to overwhelm the enemy using both kinetic and non-kinetic approaches.
“Commanders must be proactive in the conduct of their operations. You must take the fight into the identified and known enclaves of terrorists and criminals to neutralize them.
“Our deliberations in the past three days have generated new strategies that we believe could enhance stability in areas currently witnessing insecurity in the Country.”
He called for the support and cooperation of all Nigerians: “In days ahead, there shall be more visible signs of improved security across the country.
“The Nigerian Army, within the ambit of rule of law, will talk to the terrorists, bandits, kidnappers and other perpetrators of violence in the languages they understand, while ensuring that all peace-loving citizens go about their legitimate businesses and live their lives without fear or intimidation.”
Life was hell in the bush, repentant B’Haram terrorist confesses
One of the over 80,000 Boko Haram terrorists who surrendered to the Nigerian Army in Borno State has disclosed reasons he stopped fighting and surrendered.
The suspect (names withheld) spoke in Hausa language: “I joined the terrorists group six years ago and remained in the bush as a slave because you don’t have your freedom.
“I would have surrendered a long time ago. I was afraid that if I come out of the bush the soldiers would kill so I had to remain with the terrorists. I realised that I was being misled, misinformed into fighting and taking arms against my own people. I am happy now because I am being treated with dignity.
“I am appealing to my former colleagues to drop their arms and above embrace peace and they would not be killed. I have a wife and I came out with her. I came out with my guns, which I surrendered to the soldiers
“I suffered in the bush. Our commanders misled us that we were fighting a just cause. We hardly ate good food. When I surrendered, the Civilian JTF that I first met did not harm me. Many of my colleagues who are still in the bush are willing to come out.”
The suspect, who is undergoing profiling at one of the Nigerian Army facilities, said they were fooled into joining the terror group in the first place. He said the terrorists used religion, intimidation and threats to get them recruited into their fold. He assured those doubting their sincerity of true repentance that there was no cause for alarm as they have truly repented. He said God knows their hearts and sees the sincerity that they would never go back to their vomit. He said he was able to overcome fears when he and his family surrendered. He claimed life has been good to him and his family since he took that decision.
Army to fly wounded soldiers to India, others for treatment
The Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lt-Gen. Faruk Yahaya, said the army has concluded plans to evacuate some of its wounded soldiers to India and other countries for treatment on a government-to-government approach.
He said the medical evacuation became necessary following severe injuries sustained by troops engaged in the ongoing counter-terrorism operations from improvised explosives.
He told a team of Defence Scoping from India, led by its secretary, Lt-Gen. Vinod Khadare (rtd), to the Army Headquarters, Abuja: “I want to bring it to your notice that the Indian government as part of our very fruitful bilateral relations, cooperation and collaboration has offered the Nigerian Army a line of credit.
“We have gotten the green light from our parent ministry (MOD). We are making efforts to cash in on this facility. Our areas of focus will be training and in the medical fields.
“I have a certain degree of wounded personnel and I have put machinery in place to get them abroad for treatment using government to government approach.
“We are looking at some certified and reputable Indian hospitals among these countries. We will conduct medical evacuations using our various Defence Advisers to facilitate the movement.
“We are also looking at leveraging on application and of technology in modern warfare of which India is notable for, particularly in the area of training of Special Forces and others.
Lt. Gen Vinod Khadare in his remarks said the team was in Nigeria “to see how the cooperation between India and Nigeria can be improved upon so that the direction and tempo can be increased especially with the current security challenges confronting the Army.
“The future of warfare is changing very fast. We need to integrate technology seriously to catch up with conventional warfare methods. Here we have to look at cyber space and its threats and training of Special Forces.
“Beyond military cooperation, we have the concept of think tanks in various branches of the Indian military which is another area of cooperation we feel the Nigerian Army can leverage on.”
COAS to soldiers: Tackle insecurity headlong
Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lt-Gen. Faruk Yahaya, has charged officers and soldiers of the Nigerian Army to confront headlong the security challenges bedevilling the country with the understanding that those causing the problem were within and not foreigners.
He gave the charge while addressing officers and soldiers in Lagos: “The enemy we are facing in terms of security challenges, they are within, they interact with people of their community and that is why we must remain professional in what we do and work in synergy with other services and other agencies.
“I urge you to continue to be professional soldiers working in harmony with other agencies and relating well with other law abiding citizens who are doing their jobs well.
“All organisations, including the military have their area of challenges, but that the important thing is to identify the challenges and continue to work and improve on them.”
He promised to look into areas of challenges for the army, such as improving welfare, renovating and building more accommodation for officers, providing generators and vehicles for logistics.
He challenged senior officers to step up their game because they have the responsibility of bringing up junior officers through good example and leadership.
He tasked troops on the need to conform to the dictates of democracy and ensure loyalty to the government of the day.
Yahaya came from Ekiti State where he had interacted with officers and soldiers under the 2 Division, Nigerian Army, Ibadan, Oyo State. He also commissioned projects and opened up a new barracks for the force in Epe.
Senate lauds military for taming terrorists, bandits
Officers and soldiers of the Nigerian Army have been commended for the successes so far recorded in the fight against terrorism, insurgency, banditry, kidnapping, violent crimes and other criminal activities in the country.
Chairman, Senate Committee on Army, Mohammed Ali Ndume, gave the commendation when he led members of the committee on a visit to the Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lt-Gen Faruk Yahaya, at the Army Headquarters, Abuja. He expressed appreciation to the army for the feat achieved in recent times against the Boko Haram and Islamic States of West African Province BHT/ISWAP insurgency, banditry and others: “The current leadership has shown commitment and determination to end security challenges in the country. The Army has recorded tremendous successes in all its operations. This has led to total disarray of bandits in North West and North East parts. The NA should not to rest on its oars until the country is free from the grips of insecurity.”
He called on Nigerians to give the NA the desired support needed by sharing actionable information that would aid operations. COAS said their visit would go a long way to encourage officers and soldiers of the Nigerian Army.