From Juliana Taiwo-Obalonye, Abuja
President Muhammadu Buhari has directed the service chiefs to replicate successes recorded in the fight against insurgency in the North East in other parts of the country.
Buhari gave the charge, yesterday, in Kaduna during the passing-out-parade and commissioning ceremony of cadets of 69 Regular Course (Army, Navy and Air Force) of the Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA). He tasked the military to ensure terrorists do not threaten Nigeria’s sovereign integrity.
“Our tasks as the guardians of the nation are to prepare for the evolving and complex security situations and make sure that no terrorists can threaten Nigeria’s sovereign integrity. In this regard, I have instructed the service chiefs to replicate the successes in the North East in other parts of the country, and I call on all Nigerians to continue to support our Armed Forces and security agencies,” Buhari said.
The President said though there have been victories in the ongoing fight against insecurity, particularly in the North-East, Nigerians should recognise that some security concerns in the nation have changed and taken on new dimensions.
He said when his government came into power 2015, it inherited a country at crossroads, with bombs going off with frightening frequency even in cities, but that he has confront and managed the crisis effectively.
“This administration has since coming on board procured over 550 naval platforms, out of which 319 have been delivered, as part of the aggressive fleet recapitalisation of the Nigerian navy. We have devised both military and non-military methods to intervene, and even rolled out an amnesty programme to rehabilitate repentant terrorists who surrendered and laid down their arms unconditionally,” he said.
In order to prevent terrorists and insurgents from destroying the investments in vital national infrastructure, the President charged the military to continue to protect the country’s economic and military strength.
“Our interventions and even where we dealt with saboteurs, were designed to prevent the collapse of the economy and revitalise the armed forces, and this is the legacy we are handing over to the next administration. This is an important point we must acknowledge, especially as the election year draws closer. I am utterly committed to ensuring that the forthcoming elections are peaceful and transparent, and it is our collective responsibility to continue to work towards building a united and prosperous country.”
The President listed comprehensive and systematic acquisitions by his administration within seven years, describing them as unprecedented in the past 38 years of the Nigerian military.
“We have also increased the number of Nigerian Air Force platforms by more than 38 per cent and enhanced the serviceability rate of aircraft in the NAF inventory by over 70 per cent. In pursuing this same objective, the Nigerian Army has received more than 2,000 units of various Armoured Fighting Vehicles, guns, and equipment. These are in addition to improved funding of the three services along with other security and intelligence agencies.”
Buhari told the cadets it was an honour to serve as the reviewing officer of the passing out parade of 69 Regular Course for the last time as President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.