From Molly Kilete, Abuja
The Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lieutenant General Faruk Yahaya, met on Monday with top Army officers and operational commanders in Abuja with a call on them to develop, plans and strategies to win the counter terrorism and other security challenges bedeviling the country. He said this has become necessary to meet the ever changing nature in the battle space.
This is just as the COAS has promised to lead the Nigerian Army with sincerity, transparency and accountability at all times. He also promised to run the Army fairly and justly by giving equal opportunity to all based on individual competencies and character.
Yahaya, who is meeting with the senior officers among them Principal Staff Officers (PSOs), General Officers Commanding (GOCs), Commanders of Army training schools, Corps Commanders, Pperational Commanders, Field Commanders and other Frontline Officers, for the first time since he assumed office, said the time has come for the Army to develop competencies that would make it ever ready to undertake its constitutional duties of protecting the nations territorial integrity.
He said the time has come for the Army to develop competencies that would make the ever ready to undertake its constitutional duties and called for the return and strict adherence to military traditions and doctrines to make the Nigerian Army a more professional and formidable Force saying Nigeria is as good as the strength of her Armed Forces.
While promising to lead the Army to victory in all its ongoing operations across the country, the COAS, pledged to rejig the Nigerian Army.
He said, ‘for the Nigerian Army to be competitive in the 21st century, it must remain professional and seek to develop competencies that would make it ever ready to undertake its constitutional duties and intra agency maneuvers creatively, innovatively and with great sucess.
‘It is, therefore, against this background that my mission which is to build a professional Nigerian Army ready to accomplish assigned missions within a joint environment in the defence of Nigeria. To achieve this goal, my Command philosophy will rest on four pillars, namely: Professionalism, Readiness, Administration and Cooperation.’
Continuing, he said: ‘We must return to the tenets of adhering strictly to customs and tradition and ethics of the Nigerian Army. The task ahead of us is enormous, but so also is the strength of our common resolve to accomplish them.
‘We must return to the regents of basic soldiering, adhere strictly to customs, traditions and ethics of our army, uphold regimentation and emplacement transparent sanctions and reward systems.
‘Our roadmap to readiness would entail improved training, optimal resourcing, innovation, firm leadership and proactiveness. In all of these, sound administration of our troops is essential to operational effectiveness and high morale.
‘Consequently, we will prioritize welfare of personnel, promote merit, celebrate gallantry, honor heroes and support our families.
‘As your Chief of Army Staff, I hereby restate my commitment to lead you with sincerity, with transparency and accountability at all times. I want to assure you all that I would run the Army fairly and justly, giving equal opportunity to all based on individual competencies and character.
‘I count on you to rise with me and defend our country. Gentlemen, together we shall succeed.
‘I want to assure the President, Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria on my and our unalloyed loyalty of Nigerian Army and also to assure all Nigerians of Army’s determination to ensure the territorial integrity of Nigeria.’