Paul Orude, Bauchi
The Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lieutenant General Tukur Yusuf Buratai, has charged newly- trained armoured personnel to use their newly-acquired skills to put an end to the deadly Boko Haram insurgents terrorising the North-East
The General gave the charge Sunday in Bauchi during the training of officers and live firing demonstration of newly-procured war tanks – VT4 MBT and ST1 light tanks – for the Nigerian Army Armoured Corps at the Geji firing range, Bauchi.
According to him, the new weapons and training will enable the officers to eliminate Boko Haram remnants in the region.
‘Your training here will be the final decision as to the myriad of security challenges we are having especially in the North-East. I expect you once you go to the field n you must be decisive,’ he said.
‘There must decisive action and you must deal with them. When you combine firepower, mobility and shock action, the adversary has no option than to be odd and be dealt with accordingly. You must give them shock and awe.
‘I am just coming from Maiduguri and Damaturu and I have seen the tremendous efforts being made by the troops of Operation Lafia Dole and I expect you soon to mobilise with this vehicle to go and round up. I want to thank Mr President, Commander-in-Chief President Muhammadu Buhari for giving us these platforms and we assure him that it is a deciding factor in all the myriads of security across the country.’
The Army Chief thanked the Corps Commander and the Commandant of the School for putting up a robust training package, saying it is an important platform of the Nigeria Army.
‘l believe you have taken extensive notes and you have had extensive practical experience on the driving of these vehicles as well as the minor maintenance that have been taught. This is what will make you operate effectively on the field. We will make sure that our officers and men of the Nigeria Army Electrical and Mechanical Engineer corps go for training combine with officers and soldiers of the Armoured Corps. The training you had, you need to be bold and to be courageous. These you must carry along as you are deployed after this course to any of the hotspot across the country.
‘You must be adept to the tactical aspect of our operations especially using the tank tactics. The officers must know how to deploy your men in the field in defence, in attacks and so on, on patrol; ambushes and raid in attacking the enemy camp. You must combine the driving, maintenance and the tactical use of armoured vehicle to bring to bear the speed in terms of mobility, firepower, by the calibre of the weapons and armament as well as bring to bear these all to achieve firepower. We assure you that Mr President will get you all the relevant logistic and welfare package for all of you.’
Also speaking, the Commander of the Armoured Corps, Bauchi, Major General MH Magaji, explained that they complied with the directives from the Army headquarters by assembling personnel from different Army formations and units for training.
He appealed to the COAS to construct an access road to the firing range to facilitate easy movement of officers during such training exercises.
He assured that with the armour fighting vehicles procured, the Corps would make Nigeria proud in the course of fighting insurgents.