The Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lt- Gen. Ibrahim Attahiru, has reiterated the commitment of the Nigerian Army to the total annihilation of the Boko Haram, ISIS and other criminal groups disturbing the peace of the country.
He said when he visited army formations in Borno and Yobe states at the Military Command and Control Centre, Maiduguri: “Already, Boko Haram has been defeated in many encounters and will continue to be defeated until they are totally annihilated from the Nigerian soil.
“Today’s visit is the constant touch with troops and their commanders in the front lines; is important for every military operation; especially in the counter-insurgency environment.”
He said he would be visiting the troops regularly to not only boost their morale but also interact with them to know their problems they were going through with a view to solving them: “That way, they will be able to give their best in the operations to end the insurgency menace in the shortest possible time.
“We will take on Boko Haram decisively, and we are committed to the focus of the operations which is the total annihilation of Boko Haram from Nigeria. We will overcome notwithstanding whatever has happened. We will take on Boko Haram decisively.”
He reiterated President Muhamadu Buhari’s commitment to continue to provide the army with the needed resources to prosecute the fight against insurgency. He also held meetings with theatre and component commanders, and visited injured soldiers at the 7 Division Military Hospital, Maiduguri.
Commander, Operation Lafiya Dole, Major General Farouq Yahaya, told Attahiru: “You provided us guidance, logistics and other things we required. We are most grateful.”
Insurgency: Operation Lafia Dole renamed Operation Hadin Kai
Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lt-Gen. Ibrahim Attahiru, has announced the renaming of Operation Lafiya Dole (OPLD) as Operation Hadin Kai (OPHK).
Director, Army Public Relations, Brigadier General Mohammed Yerima, said: “Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lt-Gen. Ibrahim Attahiru, has approved the renaming of the ongoing counter insurgency operation in the North East from Operation Lafiya Dole to Operation Hadin Kai. This is premised on the fact that the Nigerian Army has made a lot of progress over the years and needs to re-align for better efficiency.
“Also affected is the re-designation of the Army Super Camps, which now reflect the nomenclature of the formations and units followed by the name of the locations they occupy while sub-units are redesigned as Forward Operating Bases (FOBs) followed by the name of their locations. All these changes are with immediate effect.
“The renaming is in line with the COAS vision of having “A Nigerian Army that is repositioned to professionally defeat all adversaries in a joint environment.”
It is the belief of the COAS that the complete defeat of insurgency is a process that requires the participation of the entire nation using all elements of national power.”
Suspect nabbed for kidnapping, murder no longer in service –Army
The Nigerian Army has said the soldier arrested for kidnapping and murder of his neighbour’s child was dismissed from service in 2013 after a General Court Marshal in Kaduna had found him guilty.
Director, Army Public Relations, Brigadier General Mohammed Yerima, said in a statement: “The attention of the Nigerian Army has been drawn to a video, which has gone viral on the social media, alleging that a soldier, Lance Corporal Adamu Galadima, was involved in an alleged case of kidnap and murder of his neighbour’s child after collecting the sum of N5 million as ransom. The Nigerian Army wishes to state that the information contained in the video is not true.
“Contrary to the claim, Galadima was duly dismissed from the Nigerian Army in 2013 after a General Court Marshal in Kaduna had found him guilty.
“His last unit was 2 Provost Group, where he was involved in a case of attempted murder, leading to his arrest and prosecution before the General Court Marshal in Kaduna.
“After his dismissal, Adamu found his way to Kaduna State Environmental Services, where he secured a job as a cleaner.
“He was, therefore, not a personnel of the Nigerian Army as at April 2021 when he committed the alleged crime.
“The Nigerian Army remains a disciplined organisation that will not condone any unprofessional conduct on the part of its officers and soldiers.
“The general public is, therefore, urged to ignore the misleading story currently being shared in the social media.”
DEPOWA wants PTSD centre established for military personnel
The Defence and Police Officers’ Wives Association (DEPOWA) has solicited the support of the Nigerian Army to provide a post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) centre for military personnel and families.
DEPOWA president, Mrs. Vickie Irabor, unveiled the proposal when she led a delegation of the body to the Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lt. Gen. Attahiru Ibrahim, at the Defence Headquarters, Abuja.
She disclosed that the rehabilitation centre would evaluate, counsel and provide adequate support to personnel and their spouses prior to reintegration at the end of their operational tour of duty.
She emphasized that the objective was to ensure that military personnel returned to their families in a psychologically and physically stable condition.
She said: “Since my assumption of this role, I have brainstormed with my team on how best to build on the work of past presidents in providing support services that will be beneficial to military wives, children and, by extension, our husbands.
“We have, therefore, come up with the programme called Uniting Our Voices First (UOVF). This is because we believe that, when all our sister-organisations of armed forces and police unite their voices with the officers, we can achieve a collective goal.
“In the process of research, we found out that in the last decade Nigeria has gone through security challenges and insurgency in different zones of the country. Officers and men have been deployed over the years to address the challenges to ensure peace and security is restored in the country.
“As wives of these officers, what we see and hear shows that experiences of many of these officers and men cannot be quantified. They leave these combat zones with physical injuries and suppressed emotional trauma built from experiences in the field. These experiences going unchecked have led to damning consequences in our military community.
“One of the major issues raised from the analysis of feedback from women across the country is the distinct behavioural trait, such as nightmares, anxiety, insomnia, burst of anger, etc, not synonymous with their characters before deployment.
“In consultation with medical personnel, we are made to understand that these behavioural changes are triggered in response to trauma, as such is an expression of PTSD.
“Consequently, in line with the DEPOWA president’s programme, UOVF, we intend to collaborate with COAS to provide solutions through root-cause analysis.
“By uniting our voices, it is our desire to have a reintegration structure for our officers and husbands to ensure that they return to us in good health and total wellness.
“Anything that is human is mentionable, and anything that is mentionable can be more manageable. When we talk about our feelings, they become less overwhelming, less upsetting and less scary.
“It is in line with this principle that I wish to propose the establishment of a PTSD Evaluation and Rehabilitation Centre to evaluate, counsel and provide adequate support to officers, soldiers, and by, extension, their wives prior to reintegration from the North East and other conflict zones.”
The COAS responded: “Your programmes, especially those that have been channelled towards ameliorating problems bordering on healthy living and improved lifestyle, have come at the most opportune time and I believe all the services will stand to support all you stand for.
“Let me also express my appreciation to all of you on behalf of the officers and soldiers of the Nigerian Army. Thank you for finding out time to visit us at the Army Headquarters.
“Let me assure you of our unflinching support in all the programmes and projects that you intend to carry out and wish you well.”