The Chief of Army Staff, COAS, Lt. Gen. Taoreed Lagbaja, on Thursday vowed to restore security in the Southeast region as well as other zones of the country.
The COAS stated that the Nigerian Army will continue to respond to security threats in the Southeast and other parts of the country in accordance with laid down procedures.
Lagbaja pointed that the Army will respond with force against gunmen wielding military grade weapons.
The COAS made this disclosure at the Headquarters of 6 Division of the Nigerian Army in Port Harcourt, Rivers State while inaugurating projects executed by the division’s General Officer Commanding (GOC), Maj.-Gen. Jamal Abdussalam, and to close the Chief of Army Staff Second Commanding Officers’ Workshop, which began on Tuesday.
He said such a response from the Army against security threats would be swift enough to protect innocent citizens from any harm.
The COAS stated that he had been on tour of formations and units under the 6 Division since Wednesday.
He said, “The Army will continue to respond to all those security threats in accordance with laid down constitutional provisions and the procedures in our book. The soldiers will respond in line with our code of conduct and rules of engagement.
“And, so, for all threats to security, the Army will respond appropriately. For people, who are carrying military grade weapons openly, troops will respond with force to protect law-abiding citizens. And to protect our equipment that they deployed in the population space and to secure their own lives.
“And to what has happened with the attacks on the troops in the past? I believe it is one off thing. But the troops will continue to operate within this environment to ensure that peace is sustained.”
The COAS who spoke on his tour of military formations in the South South region expressed satisfaction with what is on the ground.
He said: “Since yesterday (Wednesday) morning, I have been engaged in a tour of formations and units of the Nigerian Army under the 6 Division area of responsibility.
“I was in Uyo, which is the 2nd Brigade area of responsibility. The security situation in this area of responsibility has generally improved. All thanks to the work that our troops are doing and the support of the stakeholders. Especially the government at the sub national level and other critical stakeholders in our society.”
Lagbaja used the occasion to commend all stakeholders in the region for their support to the troops. Especially in the area of provision of timely information.
He also thanked the Rivers State Government for providing the enabling environment and logistics support to the troops to operate effectively.
The COAS added, “I want to assure them that our troops will continue to work to ensure that the security situation is improved upon. And to achieve the objective of overall economic development and even push into other frontiers across the country.
He said the workshop titled, “Enhancing tactical level command and leadership in a joint environment” was designed to equip commanding officers with requisite skills and competences. And to enhance their performance in an increasingly complex security environment.
Lagbaja said, “It was clear from the deliberations conducted during the workshop and the briefs received that the objectives of the summit had been achieved.
He noted that the commanding officers were key in the accomplishment of his command philosophy to transform the Nigerian Army into a well-trained and highly motivated force towards achieving constitutional responsibilities in a joint environment.
The COAS pointed that the officers were trained to understand their contemporary command environment. Which are characterized by technological advancements, social media culture, high population rate and its associated unemployment, amongst others.
source: PUNCH
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