New recruits of the Nigerian Army have been told to brace up for the challenges ahead as the nation battles Boko Haram terrorists, insurgents, bandits, kidnappers and other criminals. They were also told to be loyal, selfless, courageous and disciplined, which are the core values of the Nigerian Army.
Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lt-General Tukur Buratai, gave the charge at the passing out parade of 4,198 soldiers of 79 Regular Recruit Intake, Depot Nigerian Army, Zaria, Kaduna State. Represented by the Chief of Policy and Plans (COPP), Lt-General Lamidi Adeosun, he reminded them that the Nigerian Army gave them the training they needed to become soldiers and the country expected nothing less in their performance, especially with the security challenges bedeviling it: “You are expected to always put in your utmost best to sustain these values through high professional standard. 
“I urge you to assimilate and maintain the mental, physical and spiritual training given to you by this institution and the ones you will be exposed to in your units and formations.”
He said the Depot was established in 1924, with the primary responsibility of moulding able-bodied civilians into disciplined soldiers to meet the manpower needs and requirements of the Nigerian Army: “It has continued to evolve innovative ways of improving the standard of training that continued to yield positive results on personnel.
“This function is of utmost importance considering the numerous security challenges bedeviling our nation. I am glad to say the institution has continued to plan its training activities in line with the COAS vision of a very responsive army.
“It is worthy to note that, as you pass out today, the combat efficiency of NA has been enhanced and boosted with about 4,918 soldiers.”
Banditry: Sokoto donates 50 motorcycles to army
The Sokoto State government has donated 50 motorcycles to 26 Battalion of the Nigerian Army to boost its security operations. Governor Aminu Tambuwal said the gesture was “aimed at strengthening the capacity of security agencies to curb activities of bandits and other criminal groups operating in the eastern part of the state.”
Represented by the Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Saidu Umar, the governor said government had in the past weeks donated 115 vehicles to all the security agencies operating of which the army got over 90 vehicles: “The gesture is to scale up the quantum of assistance being given to security agencies to make it easy for government to secure the lives and property of the people.”
Commanding Officer of the battalion, Lt-Col. Umar Ahmad Muhammad, assured the government and people of the state that the soldiers were battle-ready to rout the bandits and restore peace for the people to go about their legitimate businesses without fear of intimidation.
Army, DICON partner UNILORIN for production of armour-plating materials
The Nigerian Army and the Defence Industries Corporation of Nigeria (DICON) have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the University of Ilorin (UNILORIN) for the development of composite material for armour plating.
The event, at the Army Headquarters conference room, had the Chief of Policy and Plans (COPP), Lt-Gen. Lamidi Adeosun, standing in for the Chief of Army Staff (COAS). He said the collaboration between the three institutions was expected to promote indigenous technology that would assist in the production of civil and military hardware, and expressed the hope that the three parties would benefit mutually.
He said they should respect and implement holistically the terms of agreements as espoused in the MoU: “It is in this vein that the Nigerian Army seeks to collaborate with indigenous professionals in planning, designing and execution of projects to enhance national security.”
Director-general, DICON, Major-General Victor Ezeugwu, said the partnership would drastically reduce the nation’s dependency on foreign military equipment and at the same time save foreign exchange in the country. He said it would boost the development of indigenous capacity in research and development, especially towards attaining self-sufficiency in the production of both civil and military hardware, together with other sampling products.
Vice chancellor of UNILORIN, Professor Suleiman Abdulkareem Age, said the university would continue to conceive potent ideas on how to improve and improve the status of the country’s military men.
No room for failure, Buratai tells special forces
Chief of Army Staff, Lt-Gen. Tukur Buratai, has warned that he would no longer tolerate failure from soldiers engaged in internal security operations.
Similarly, he charged officers and soldiers of the Nigerian Army not to be discouraged by negative propaganda from the social media.
He gave the charge at a dinner he held for members of the Special Forces deployed to Katsina State to fight banditry. He promised to address challenges faced by members of the forces.
He said they had no excuse for failure in ridding the zone of banditry and other criminal groups, saying that additional weapons, equipment and manpower would be deployed to support the fight against banditry.
Buratai said: “This type of conflict is very fluid. It is unpredictable. In this context, the best way is to approach the adversaries with special forces.
“That is why you received special training. You know the terrain is very wide and the task challenging.
“But you have a very sacred responsibility to our nation to safeguard it and her people.
“You have no excuse for failure. You are professionals in your field. We are hopeful that the security challenges will soon be over.”
NDA begins Exercise Camp Highland for cadets
The Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA), has commenced Exercise Camp Highland in preparation for the passing out parade for Nigerian Army cadets of 67 Regular Course and Short Service Course 46.
The exercise will take place at Heipang and Shere Hills, Jos, Plateau State, and Kachia, Kaduna State, where it will conclude with the tactical phase is expected to end July 25. Camp Highland is the final outdoor exercise for cadets aimed at testing leadership qualities, endurance, map reading, command and control capabilities, among others.
It is also a major platform used to ascertain the level of preparedness of final-year Army cadets before commissioning them as officers.