…As COAS declares Open Combine Training Seminar in Minna
From John Adams, Minna
The Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Farouk Yahaya has said that the Nigerian Army will leave no stone unturned to ensure that the war against Insurgency and other violence crimes in the country is completely won, saying that the Army is nobly committed to the security and defense of the Territorial integrity of the nation.
The Chief of Army Staff who stated this in Minna, the Niger state capital on Monday when he declared open, a three day combined training and doctrine seminar for officers of the Nigerian Army at the Training and Doctrine Command headquarters, also expressed the resolve of the Army to defend the country Democracy.
He pointed out that the theme of this year’s seminar, “Enhancing Training and Operations through Doctrinal Imperative in a Joint Environment”, is apt, especially when the global conflicts have now moved from the known conventional nature to the third, fourth and even fifth generational realms which are characteristically asymmetric.
According to the Chief of Staff who was represented by by Maj. Gen. Kamilu Kadiri, Director General, Nigerian Army Heritage and Future Center, Abuja, the situation represent a paradigm shift from classical battlefield’s conventional deployments between two opposing forces.
According to him, to maintain our effectiveness, the Nigeria army must train and retrain as well as plan its operations in consonance with its doctrine and training policy, stressing that “my vision for the Nigerian Army is anchored on four critical pillars notably professionalism, readiness, administration and cooperation. All interlinked for the development of the Army”
Gen. Yahaya maintained that the bedrock for any Army lies on training which is focused on professionalism and guided by doctrine, adding however that most of the failed battles recorded were either traceable or ascribable to inadequate, improper or lack of requite training.
He noted that to ensure efficient training and combat efficiency of the Nigerian Army, its divisions must be progressively evaluated as well as ensure that timely doctrinal eveualtion of the army’s operations are conducted.
He said the need to ensure that material are acqurately delivered to troop at the right time, right place in the right condition, especially in battle situation was crucial and urged participants to contribute positively, adding that the knowledge gained from the seminar would help in the development of the Nigerian Army in general.
Earlier in his welcome address, Maj. Gen. Stevenson Olabanji, Commander, Training and Doctrine Command of the Nigerian Army, said that the seminar was to set the pace for training and doctrinal development activities in the command as well as guide the Nigerian army in general.
He added that the objectives of the seminar was to highlight issues that borders primarily on key aspects of the military affairs such as training, operations, administration, logistics and their impact on the effectiveness of the Nigerian Army.
Olabanji said the seminar was also aimed at developing capacity of participants and all personnel towards harnessing their skills and contribution to the operational efficiency of the Nigerian Army.
The Chief of Army Staff later commissioned some new projects and these include TRADOC records office, Commander TRADOC Finance and Account apartment and Corporal below quarters.
Part of activities of the seminar waa commissioning of some new projects by the chief of army staff such as the TRADOC records office, Commander TRADOC Finance and Account apartment, Corporal below quarters, Nigeria Army Post Exchange (NAPEX) and TRADOC Nigerian army officers mess squash.