Combine power, action to defeat terrorists, Buratai charges officers

The Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lt-Gen. Tukur Buratai, has charged officers and soldiers undergoing training at the Nigerian Army Armoured Corps, Bauchi, Bauchi State, to be bold and courageous in tackling insurgency when they are fully deployed to the theatre of operation.

He gave the charge at the live firing demonstration of newly procured war tanks VT4 MBT and ST1 light tanks for the corps at Geji firing range. It was also held to train officers and soldiers on the newly acquired equipment.

The COAS emphasized the vision to have a professional and responsive army in the discharge of constitutional roles. He said the vision was intended to ensure seamless connection between the ends, the ways and the means of tackling insecurity as the army continues in its constitutional role of safeguarding the nation’s territorial integrity:

“If you go to the field, you must be decisive. You must deal with them when you combine firepower mobility and shock action. The adversaries have no option than to be dealt with accordingly.

“I was with you in June, I spoke to you on the need to be bold and courageous. This you must carry along as you are deployed after this course to any theatre of operation or any hotspot across the country.

“I expect you as you go to the field, you must be decisive and deal with them with this because when you combine the fire power mobility and shock action, the adversary will have no option than to behold and be dealt with cogently.

“You must beat them shock and all. I am just coming from Maiduguri and Damaturu, Yobe State. I have seen the tremendous efforts made by the troops of Operation Lafiya Dole. We expect you very soon to mobilise with these vehicles to go and round up.”

He charged the armoured corps to mobilise to the two states with the purchased vehicles to go and round up the fight against insurgency. He assured them that advanced training would be organised for officers from the electrical and mechanical units of the Nigerian Army for proper maintenance of the vehicles.

Commander of the corps, Major General Magaji, said the corps complied with the directives from the Army Headquarters by assembling personnel from the various formations and units of the army for the trainings.

He appreciated the determination of the corps to make Nigeria proud in the insurgency fight. He appealed for the construction of an access road to the firing range to facilitate easy movements of officers during exercises.