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The Operation Safe Haven have trained 98 youths in Southern Kaduna to curb the incessant attacks by bandits and other criminal groups in the area.
The youths graduated on January 19, 2022 and were trained on surveillance and information gathering. They are expected to work along with the military and security agencies.
The graduation took place at Headquarters Sector 7, Kafanchan. The youths were selected from all the communities and ethnic groups in Southern Kaduna.
Commander, Operation Safe Haven, Major General Ibrahim Ali, urged the youths to distance themselves from sentiments and discharge their duty without fear or favour: “The essence of the training is to ensure that the communities are protected against enemies of peace.”
He warned them not to allow themselves to be used as political thugs and miscreants by greedy politicians and individuals to achieve their selfish goals.
Commander, Sector 7, Operation Safe Haven, Colonel Timothy Opurum, said the training was necessary considering the importance of peace to development. He revealed that the team of the Joint Civilian Task Force comprised youths selected from seven major ethnic groups in Kafanchan, Kauru, Kaura and Jama’a local government areas of southern part of Kaduna State.
He said the trained youths would be deployed to various communities alongside security agencies: “The presence of the Civilian Joint Task Force will aid the security agencies to fish out bad eggs who connive with bandits to perpetrate evil in the communities.”
Army PR takes advocacy on social media to soldiers
Directorate of Army Public Relations (DAPR), has taken its advocacy on the effective and positive use of the social media to officers and soldiers of 8 Division, Nigerian Army, Sokoto, Sokoto State.
The workshop is aimed at enhancing the perspective of personnel with its theme, “Emergence of Citizens Journalism: Enhancing National Security and Cohesion through Responsible Media Reportage by Nigerian Army Personnel.”
It took place at the Lt-Gen TY Buratai Auditorium, Giginya Barracks. General Officer Commanding (GOC) 8 Division, Major General Uwem Bassey, represented by Brigadier General Aminu Abdullahi, charged participants to internalise lessons learnt in the workshop and effectively use the social media to promote the image and reputation of the Nigerian Army.
He charged them to use the social media responsibly without jeopardizing their personal and operational security. He urged them to collectively mitigate the challenges associated with negative use of the social media: “It has huge implications on operational engagements and national security.”
He commended Directorate, Army Public Relations, for embarking on the advocacy drive to raise the level of awareness of the personnel.
Director, Army Public Relations, Brigadier General Onyema Nwachukwu, said the workshop was organized to upscale the understanding of personnel of the NA on the use of the social media: This has become necessary to effectively employ the social media as a force multiplier for on going military operations to positively change the narrative in support of the NA and its operations.”
Insurgency: ICRC lauds Army for support
Head of Delegation, International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) in Nigeria, Mr Yann Bonzon, has extolled the support of the Nigerian Army towards attainment of its humanitarian efforts. He gave the commendation when he led a team of ICRC on a visit to the Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lt-Gen Faruk Yahaya, at the Army Headquarters, Abuja.
He said the visit became necessary to discuss humanitarian challenges with a view to finding ways and means of surmounting them. He appreciated the support of the NA and protection given to staffs of ICRC during humanitarian activities in the North East and other operational areas in the country.
Yann equally acknowledged the long existing relationship and bond between the two organisations and pledged to continue the partnership. He added that ICRC would continue to dialogue with the NA until common ground was attained.
COAS thanked the ICRC for its contribution in the NA’s activities especially in the area of humanitarian assistance, training and research packages in theatres of operations, units, colleges and training institutions: “This impacted meaningfully in handling of humanitarian activities.”
He reiterated the resolve of the Nigerian Army to continually interact and cooperate with ICRC and any other organization in the conduct of its operations. He pledged NA’s continued partnership with the ICRC and urged the organization not to relent in the support to troops in the field, units, formations and training institutions.
In a related development, president of African Bar Association (AFBA), Mr Hannibal Uwaifo, paid a visit to the COAS. He said the NA and the Defence Headquarters are the strongest allies to AFBA: “The Armed Forces have rendered assistance to the AFBA in several areas.”
He encouraged the media to always seek clarification before going to press, “especially in this era of terrorism and asymmetric warfare.”
He intimated the COAS on the upcoming military and security agencies conference of the association in Malawi and other conferences scheduled for 2022. He called for greater participation of the Nigerian Army especially the human rights desk officers.
Yahaya appreciated AFBA for its support and cooperation with the NA and the Armed Forces of Nigeria. He pledged greater participation of the NA in the forthcoming activities of the AFBA and continued partnership in areas of common interest.
COAS commissions 1 Division RSM official residence
Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lt-Gen Faruk Yahaya, has commissioned the new official residence of the Regimental Sergeant Major (RSM) of 1 Division, Nigerian Army and other quarters for senior non-commissioned officers in Dalet Cantonment, Kawo, Kaduna State.
He said: “RSMs are very vital in the management of soldiers and play the crucial role of inculcating discipline, as well as promoting ethos, traditions and doctrinal values of the Nigerian Army, among personnel in formations and units.
“Service discipline and experiential knowledge imbibed from RSMs by soldiers, build the foundation of trust and confidence, which enhance stability of formations and units across the Nigerian Army.”
He said the buildings were part of his welfare agenda for the RSMs, aimed at restoring the prestige of the office. He handed over keys of the buildings to Army Warrant Officer (AWO) Adams Bamidele, the RSM of 1 Division, Nigerian Army.
COAS has been boosting troops’ morale and reinvigorating their fighting will, with the prompt implementation of welfare policies and dispensation of welfare packages.
These included introduction of welfare flights for troops and their families, in and out of operational theatres, construction of new accommodation quarters and renovation of dilapidated ones, to solve personnel’s accommodation challenges and sponsoring of Wounded in Action officers and soldiers for treatment overseas.
He also presented Hilux vehicles to serving and retired RSMs to restore the dignity associated with the office and empower them to effectively carry out their duties.
We’ll recruit best into Army –COAS
Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lt-Gen Faruk Yahaya, has said the Nigerian Army will continue to recruit the best candidates who are medically and physically fit into the service.
He said this when he visited the Nigerian Army Battle Fitness Centre (NABFC), Falgore forest, Kano State, where the screening exercise for 82 Regular Recruit Intake is being conducted. He charged the recruitment officers to leverage on the experience garnered from the previous recruitment exercises to improve upon the conduct of the recruitment and ensure that the goals of the exercise were not compromised. He assured them of equipping the centre with more training aids and facilities to further enhance training.
Director, Manpower Planning, Major General Umar Musa, told COAS: “Over 3,800 candidates are currently undergoing screening. The main goal is to recruit young and physically fit Nigerians to fill the manpower needs of the NA.”
Yahaya inspected completed as well as on going projects at the centre. He interacted with the candidates and left them with some words of encouragement.
…Visits Kano gov, emir over insecurity
Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lt-Gen Faruk Yahaya, has visited Governor Abdullahi Ganduje of Kano State and Emir of Kano, Alhaji Aminu Ado-Bayero, on the way forward concerning the security situation in the country.
He said he was on a working visit to 3 Brigade, Kano and Nigerian Army Battle Fitness Centre (NABFC) Falgore, where the 82 Regular Recruit Intake screening exercise into the Nigerian Army (NA) is being conducted.
He expressed appreciation of the Nigerian Army to the government and people of the state for their support to the Nigerian Army formations and units particularly NABFC in Falgore forest: “The facility has become a veritable training ground for troops of the NA and potential recruits.”
