The Chief of Army Staff, (COAS) Lt.-Gen. Taoreed Lagbaja, has charged Nigerian Army Field Commanders at all levels to scale up efforts in tackling security challenges.
He also urged then to improve upon the protection of Nigerians from unconventional threats confronting the nation.
Lagbaja gave the charge at the closing ceremony of the Chief of Army Staff (COAS) Annual Conference 2023 on Friday in Maiduguri, Borno.
This is contained in a statement by the Director, Army Public Relations, Brig-Gen. Onyema Nwachukwu, on Friday in Abuja.
He directed them to immediately shore up measures aimed at enhancing military operations and ensuring the safety and protection of citizens across the country.
Lagbaja also urged commanders to devise comprehensive plans to deal decisively with adversaries within their areas of responsibilities and exercise restraint when dealing with law abiding citizens whom the army was constitutionally charged to protect.
He urged them to make good use of the outcomes of vibrant and robust interactions during the conference, following updates on army intelligence and review of operations across the country,
The COAS said that all commanders should do all within their ambit to enhance operations in a manner that justified the resources committed to the nation’s security, in line with President Bola Tinubu’s directive.
He said the conference had provided participants with veritable platforms to review their past achievements, assess current challenges, and strategize for the future in the broader context of national security.
Lagbaja added that the conference had afforded them quality time to review army training, operations, and administrative activities that directly related to the theme of the conference: ”Personnel Motivation for Effective Operational Performance in a Joint Environment.”
According to him, the deliberations at the conference had addressed various issues relating to troops’ morale, physical and conceptual components of army fighting power and lecture during the conference has further reenforced the importance of whole-of-society approach in the successful conduct of operations to mitigate security challenges.
“The task ahead of the military is enormous. Therefore, efforts must be made to improve communication channels with other security agencies, where there are ongoing internal security operations to create a secure environment for good governance and economic prosperity for Nigerians,” he said.
In conformity with one of the cardinal pillars of the COAS Command Philosophy, which is “sound administration”, Lagbaja presented cheques to officers and soldiers wounded in combat through the Group Personnel Accident Insurance Scheme.
The scheme caters for the medical bills of personnel wounded in combat.
The COAS, on behalf of officers and soldiers of the Nigerian army, expressed gratitude to President Tinubu for his staunch support to the Army.
He assured of the unflinching loyalty and commitment of the army to the defence of democracy and upholding the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
Credit: NAN
