The Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lieutenant-General Tukur Buratai, has inaugurated some special intervention projects in Osun State, as part of the Nigerian Army’s support for non-kinetic line of operations.
The projects included a hospital and bailey bridge at Asamu, Ola-Oluwa Local Government, Kuta, in Aiyedire Local Government, and River Osun on Kuta-Ikoyi-Ede Road.
He commended governors within 2 Division’s area of responsibility for their support for units and formations under their domains, urging them to keep it up.
The COAS also thanked the Ooni of Ife, Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi, Ojaja II, for the motorised modular fumigators he donated to the army in the heat of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Olowu of Kuta, Oba Hammed Adekunle, told Burutai at his palace: “The hospital and bridge will improve the health and standard of living of our people and increase commerce in our area.”
He said the projects would improve the relationship between the Nigerian Army and the civil populace. He promised the support of his people to the army to curb insecurity.
Work with vision, AFCSC Course 48 participants charged
Participants of Senior Course 48, Armed Forces Command and Staff College (AFCSC), Jaji, Kaduna State, have been charged to keep themselves abreast of the dynamics of the security challenges bedevilling Nigeria.
They were also told to always have a vision as a guiding principle to achieve their organisational objectives.
Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Tukur Buratai, said the Nigerian Army was undergoing “a drastic transformation to curb insecurity in the nation.”
He made this known when he delivered a lecture to participants at the college. He said his vision “has always been to enhance the capacity of the service, especially in the areas of training, operations, administration and logistics.”
“The lecture is part of the curricular of the college to keep students abreast of current happenings in civil, political, military and organisational fields, to build their capacity.
“It is imperative for the officers to appreciate the importance of vision in leadership, especially in the military environment.
“It is necessary for them to know that as a leader you must have a vision as a guiding principle to achieve organisational objectives,” he said.
Army, ABUAD sign MoU on peace, conflict resolution
The Nigerian Army has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Afe Babalola University (ABUAD), Ado-Ekiti, Ekiti State, on peace and conflict resolutions through persuasive efforts.
The agreement with the Martin Luther Agwai International Leadership and Peace Keeping Centre (MLAILPKC), Jaji, Kaduna State, was aimed at sharing ideas on alternative conflict resolutions mechanism.
Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lieutenant General Tukur Buratai, said the Nigerian Army through MLAILPKC partnered with reputable institutions in areas of human and capital development: “The MoU will also lead to a joint research initiatives, synergies and add academic value to both institutions.”
Vice chancellor of ABUAD, Prof. Smaranda Olarinde, said the agreement would further improve the cooperation with the service and foster a unique window of opportunity for the transformation of the institutions: “The MoU will roll back the climate of destruction and fear, which insecurity has foisted on our nation.”
Engineering Depot produces 8 more MRAPS
Command Engineering Depot, Nigerian Army, Kaduna, has constructed eight additional mine-resistant ambush protective vehicles (MRAPs) and other hardware. With this, the army is gradually moving to meet some of its basic military requirements in the areas of armaments, lift capability, hard skin vehicles and tanks as well as troops’ transport vehicles.
The production, retrofitting, refurbishment and repair of different military hardware came to the fore due to the quest of the Chief of Army Staff to meet the hardware needs of the armed forces.
Already, Conqueror MRAPs, retrofitting and repair of different guns and tanks have so far been manufactured, refurbished and inducted into the North East and North West theatres of operation in Borno, Yobe, Katsina and Zamfara states.
This much was unveiled at the depot’s workshop when Lieutenant General Tukur Buratai toured the military establishment recently.
Weapons repair and retrofitting and repairs of anti-aircraft guns, general purpose machine guns and Browning machine guns were inspected by the army chief, represented by the Chief of Training and Operations, Nigerian Army.
Commander of the depot, Major General S. Araoye, said: “All projects at the depot are fully authorised and funded by the Chief of Army Staff and with precision equipment like laser cutters the productions can be sped up at the depot because all our researches are guided by government policies.”
Soldiers told to eradicate remnants of bandits
The Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lieutenant-General Tukur Buratai, has charged soldiers engaged in the anti-banditry fight in the North West to eliminate remnants of bandits in the shortest possible time. This is just as he announced the extension of Operation Sahel Sanity, set up to wipe out banditry and other criminals in the region.
He gave the charge during a media chat at the Special Army Super Camp 4, Faskari, Katsina State: “Considering the progress recorded in barely two months of the operation, the Nigerian Army has expanded its area of responsibility to include North Central as well as reinforcement and regrouping of troops to deal with the criminals ruthlessly.”
He charged the soldiers to maintain the tempo, just as he commended them for operating with full compliance within their constitutional responsibility.
He assured them that more equipment and personnel would be made available to intensify the onslaught against the bandits and their accomplices: “With the dedication, commitment, determination and professionalism of the troops, normalcy will soon return to the North West.”
He commended the media for support and cooperation with the military in disseminating its activities to the general public and urged the public not to shield criminals. He said the army, in collaboration with other security agencies, was working to checkmate criminality.