By; SADIQ ABUBAKAR, Maiduguri
The Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lieutenant General Farouk Yahaya has said, “the Nigerian Army is determined and committed as well as up to the task and capable of clearing criminals anywhere across the country.
” The troops are not resting and in high morale to reach out to all the criminals, all the nooks and crannies of the North East, especially, the North West to clear the criminals and bring sanity,” Farouq said.
He added that, “what the criminals are doing is an indication that they are finished and Nigerian Army will reach out to them as NA will not relent in its efforts to rid the country of such criminals. The Nigerian Army is on its toes to meet it’s constitutional mandate professionally.”
The Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lt. Gen. Yahaya Umar Farouq who stated this on Monday in Maiduguri during his two-day state operational visit, also commended the media for their partnership with the Nigerian Army in the fight against criminality and insurgency among other crimes while commissioning some projects at the 7 Division of the Nigerian Army (NA) Maimalari Cantonment Maiduguri.
Gen. Farouq concluded the two-day operational assessment visit to the Joint Task Force, North East, Operation HADIN KAI (OPHK) Maiduguri, where he conducted evaluation of operational strategies and troops’ proficiency in the ongoing fight against terrorism and insurgency in the North East theater.
He was also briefed on arrival by the Theatre Commander, Maj Gen Christopher Gwabi Musa on the ongoing simultaneous Operations (Op DESERT SANITY and Op LAKE SANITY) where he noted that it was crucial to regularly review troops’ counter terrorism efforts in order to sustain the operational gains so far made and reinvigorate the operations.
During the visit, Gen Yahaya further commissioned newly constructed block of 36 flats, to mitigate the challenge of acute accommodation shortage experienced by soldiers in Maimalari Barracks.
He also commissioned newly built 7 Division Garrison Regimental Sergeant Major’s residence and later embarked on an inspection of Women and Child Care Centre under construction at the 7 Division Medical Services and Hospital, as well as the Theatre Command Training School.
An ultra modern Operations briefing and conference Hall was equally inaugurated by the COAS.
Commissioning the projects, the Army Chief emphasized, that the Nigerian Army under his leadership will continue to place high premium on the welfare of troops and the provision of necessary logistics to effectively deal with security challenges.
COAS and his team later witnessed a Fire Power Demonstration at the 7 Division shooting Range, to test some newly acquired platforms, as well as those refurbished within the theatre.
Earlier in his remarks during the briefing, the Theatre Commander expressed appreciation to the COAS for his visit, leadership and commitment to deliver on his pledges to ensure troops are provided with the requisite combat equipments and logistics to effectively conduct their operations.
The Theater Commander said that the COAS’ visit to the North East theatre command was a morale booster to the troops and assured that they will continue to do their best as they strive to bring an end to the insurgency in the North East.
The COAS was accompanied during the visit by the Chief of Logistics Maj Gen Omotomilola Akintade, the Chief of Operations Maj Gen Olufemi Akinjobi, Chief of Accounts and Budget Maj Gen Adekunle Adesope, the Provost Marshal (Army), Maj Gen Robert Aiyenigba and the Chief of Military Intelligence Maj Gen Ibrahim Salisu.
