By Billy Graham Abel, Yola
The Chief of Defense Staff (CDS), General Lucky Irabor, has tasked military veterans in the North East to come up with ideas that would contribute significantly to the ongoing actionable military offensive clearance operations of insurgents and other security threats to the country.
Gen Irabor said the retired senior military officers still have crucial role to play in deepening the successes recorded against insurgency and other security challenges in the country, pointing out that a cross ferterlisation of ideas between the veterans and current service men is crucial as a measure for continueus progress in the fight against insecurity in the northeast and other parit of the country.
Gen Irabor made this known at an interactive session with retired senior military officers from the North East geo-political zone, Tuesday, in Yola, Adamawa State.
The CDS appreciated the citizens and residents of the North East for genuinely supporting the ongoing intensive clearance operations by troops of the Armed Forces of Nigeria (AFN) towards the restoration of permanent peace in the zone, while expressing concern over the fears and panic of the general public on the ongoing mass surrendering of Boko Haram (BH)/Islamic State of West Africa Province (ISWAP) ex-fighters to the AFN.
Gen Irabor, who appreciated the people of the region for supporting the military operations thus far, while seeking for more cooperation, said: ‘The solutions to the NE security challenges rest in the region, as he was optimistic that the situation will get better and better in the days ahead.’
On the recent fear and apprehension making rounds about the mass surrendering of BH/ISWAP ex-members, the CDS reassured residents and Nigerians in general, ‘to trust on the relevant agencies that have been tasked with responsibilities of planning the rehabilitation of repented insurgents.’
According to him, ‘the AFN will deal with the matter for the good of the region, as there will be no loose ends.’
The defence chief called on the military veterans, ‘to take full advantage of the security parley in evaluating the various military operations, as their patriotic and constructive assessment of the general security situation would add value to the ongoing actionable military offensive clearance operations.
Gen Irabor added that ‘what remains very clear is the desire and will of the AFN to speedily turn around the fortune of the North East to a state where everyone will be happy again.’
On the recent attacks on the Defence Academy, the CDS described the attack on Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA) officers’ residential quarters, ‘as more of criminal activities associated with the banditry action as the military is already on the matter.’
Addressing the veterans at the occasion, the Chief of Defence Civil Military Cooperation (CDCIMIC), Rear Admiral Fredrick Ogu, announced that the one day security parley would include, ‘the Chief of Defence Intelligence brief on the general security situation in NE, a group presentations by the participants and then an interactive session.’
Earlier in his welcome address, the General Officer Commanding (GOC), 3 Division Nigerian Army (NA), Major General Ismaila Ali, who was represented by the Commander 23 Brigade NA, Brigadier General Aminu Garba, commended the DHQ for the laudable initiative of tapping from the wealth of experience of the retired senior officers.
The CDCIMIC urged the veterans, ‘to make useful contributions towards the goal of securing the NE zone and the country at large.’
The GOC adds that ‘the cross-fertilisation of ideas between the current leadership of the Armed Forces and its veterans was tailored to finding workable ideas in surmounting the contemporary security challenges bedeviling the nation.’
Notable among the top military brass that attended the parley were the Chief of Defence Administration, Rear Admiral Mohammed Adamu, and the Air Officer Commanding, Special Operations Command, Nigerian Air Force, Air Vice Marshal Charles Ohwo.’