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The Nigerian Army said that it has increased its deployment of troops in various theatres of operation across the country and created new units to effectively quash the menace of terrorists, bandits, kidnappers and other criminals.
The army equally promised that it would not let Nigerians down as it intensified its operations to wipe out various criminal groups disturbing the peace of the country.
Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lieutenant General Faruk Yahaya, said: “Insecurity will soon be a thing of the past in the country, as the army has recorded tremendous successes in its counter-insurgency, anti-banditry war and other internal security operations.”
He made the disclosure at the opening of the 2022 COAS First Quarter Conference, in Abuja. It was attended by principal staff officers, general officers commanding, field commanders and commandants of army training institutions, among other senior officers.
Yahaya said, “We want to assure Nigerians that we won’t let them down. We will continue to forge ahead in our operational activities and we will get there, by the grace of God.”
Insecurity in Nigeria was marked by heightened insurgency in the North-East, banditry in the North-West as well as agitation for secession and sundry disturbances in other parts of the country upon his assumption in office.
He said he concentrated on improved personnel development to re-invigorate and rejuvenate the troops towards achieving the constitutional mandate of the Nigerian Army: “This has been largely achieved with the increasing re-equipping of the Nigerian Army, which has made the force better poised to tackle the myriad of contemporary and emerging security threats.
“Our modest successes against the terrorists in the North-East are being recognised and applauded in the global index.”
Army PT relocates headquarters to Abuja
The Nigerian Army Directorate of Physical Training has relocated its headquarters from Zaria, Kaduna State, to Abuja. This is to enable the directorate provide a decent, conducive and befitting workspace for its personnel for effective performance.
The new headquarters was inaugurated by the Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lieutenant General Faruk Yahaya, at the Muhammadu Buhari Cantonment, Giri, near Gwagwalada.
The COAS expressed optimism that the bid to provide a conducive environment for the directorate responsible for the development of strength, endurance, agility and battle skills and training of Nigerain Army personnel would spur it to create innovative ideas and initiatives to improve their fitness and achieve heightened levels of professionalism as captured in his vision.
The COAS described the project as part of his leadership drive to address infrastructural development and better welfare for army personnel for greater value and operational proficiency: “This is evident in the recent commissioning of some key projects, comprising the Army Headquarters Annex A Complex, accommodating the departments of Transformation and Innovation, and Civil Military Affairs, among others, as well as the commissioning of the new Nigerian Army Operations Centre.
“The plan is to ensure that the Nigerian Army provides all facilities that are reasonably required to ensure that the directorate is positioned for the effective discharge of its duties.”
Director of procurement (Army), Major General Nasiru Muktar, said: “The relocation is the testament of the COAS’ determination and vigour towards providing the needed infrastructure and improvement of personnel welfare.”
81 Division collaborates with NCS to curb insecurity at Idiroko border
The General Officer Commanding (GOC), 81 Division, Nigerian Army, Major General Umar Musa, has assured the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Ogun Command, of the division’s support to curb the security challenges within the Owode-Idiroko border general area.
He assured the Customs Area Comptroller, Ogun 1 Area Command, Bamidele Makinde, of the furtherance of the synergy between the Nigerian Army and the NCS in ensuring that the southwestern flank of the Nigerian border was secured.
He said: “The two sister services’ roles are interwoven, hence, the need to sustain synergy and collaboration to close any gap that may arise from time to time between the services.”
Makinde lauded the synergy and collaboration between the services and reiterated commitment and readiness of the Customs command to partner with the army in combating crime and criminality towards ensuring that the Owode-Idiroko border area was well policed. He assured the GOC that all areas of cooperation would be fully utilised.
In a related development, the GOC charged officers and soldiers of 174 Battalion, as well as other troops undergoing training at the 81 Division Training School to uphold discipline and commitment in the course of their training.
He said his visit afforded him the opportunity to determine the state of readiness of the school and see how troops undergoing training facilitated by the British Military Assistance Training Team (BMATT) were faring to bring improvement within available resources.
Special Forces Command boosts personnel’s intelligence capacity
The Nigerian Army Special Forces Command, Nasarawa State, has commenced a weeklong training of officers and soldiers on intelligence-gathering and capacity building aimed at equipping the personnel to be more effective in carrying out their respective assignments.
Commander, Brigadier General Lewis Lepdung, said the workshop was to enhance troops’ necessary knowledge to achieve the objectives of ensuring peace and security in the country at all times.
He said the training, with the theme “Imperative of Leadership and Strategic Thinking,” was chosen to educate the troops on how to survive in and out of service. He charged the over 50 participants to be more attentive and take the presentations by the resource persons very seriously, as they would be expected to pass the knowledge they have acquired to their subordinates in various units: “I want you to take this training seriously, especially the First Aid session, because it is important to you as an officer that is still in service and also important when you are no longer in service. It will help you to help others during operations.”
Commander, Integrated Fire Support Command, Brigadier General Christopher Peter Ugwu, noted that the training was to prepare the soldiers to be better planners and executors in their different fields of operation.
He said, at the end of the training, the soldiers would have acquired enough knowledge to teach and train others on humanitarian issues that may arise in different operations.
One of the facilitators, Yakubu Aboki Ochefu, professor of Economic History, said he was at the workshop to train officers and soldiers to be civil without affecting their primary responsibilities.
He said the training was in two phases: “The first one is the military aspect, which has to do with tactics of operations and other military matters. The second is the civil aspect. Since military personnel live among civilians, they need to know how to lead the people.
“These military officers live among civilians. They need to differentiate when and how to engage civilians as soldiers and when not, and to know how to lead then, because they are leaders.
“They also need to also know how to manage their funds, because it is very important. That is what we are here to lecture them on.”
Drug war: NASI trains 650 NDLEA officers
Nigerian Army School of Infantry (NASI), Jaji, Kaduna State, has trained 650 strike force officers from the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA).
The officers underwent rigorous specialised training and would be at the forefront of the agency’s war against drug cartels in Nigeria.
Chairman, NDLEA, Brigadier General Mohammed Buba Marwa (retd), told the operatives: “This specialised training and the skills acquired thereof will enhance your competence in the special role you are playing for the agency in the war against illicit drugs.
“It is important that I should remind you that as the agency scales its operations against illicit drugs trafficking, your service will become increasingly essential to the successful attainment of our organisational goals.
“The special nature of your training requires that you serve as force multiplier to the conventional NDLEA staff in the field. I have no doubt that you will measure up to the demand of the job because generations of military and paramilitary personnel have passed through this course and have distinguished themselves on the field.
“More so, the progress report I received, including on-the-spot assessment, confirmed that the objective of the course has been achieved. Therefore, as you graduate today, I urge you not to rest on your oars as your competence will be tested from time to time by challenges that will recur in your career as anti-narcotics operatives.”
Represented by his special adviser, Col. Yakubu Bako (retd), Marwa stated that: “The strike force is one of the agency’s tactical creations of 2021 to add strength and purpose to its drug supply reduction effort and provide cover for officers and men of NDLEA who have to work in dangerous terrain while carrying out their duties.
“The merit of having the strike force was evident in the month of February when, on two occasions, the agency was able to successfully carry our raid, seizure and destruction of a significant amount of psychotropic substances in territories which in the past were hostile and almost out of bounds for narcotics officers.
“In Ondo State, for instance, 255 hectares of cannabis farms were destroyed across five local government areas in a seven-day operation. Similarly, in Lagos State, a notorious drug den in Panti, Lagos Island, was successfully raided in broad daylight, with over 5,000kg of cannabis and other assorted drugs seized, along with the arrest of the drug kingpin and six other suspects.
“Both operations were dangerous, but the strike force unit provided the needed cover, repelled mob attack and ensured our officers and men performed their duty safely.
“Anything that would compromise your discipline and dedication to duty should be avoided. As an anti-narcotics officer, you bear a huge obligation to remain incorruptible in the face of any temptations that might be sprung on you by drug traffickers and barons.”
