Nigeria’s Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen Farouk Yahaya, has called on commanders in the Army to plan for a possible increase in the scope and dimension of the activities of violent Non-state actors in the coming year.
The COAS made this call while speaking at the closing ceremony of the Annual Conference in Abuja on Friday. The army chief stated that the focus in the coming year would be to develop capacities for improved performances, adding that emphasis would be placed on both individual and unit training.
Africa Daily News, New York reports that there have been attacks by Boko Haram terrorists and armed bandits on troops and civilians, especially in the northern part of the country, while criminals of different shades, including kidnappers, unleash terror on innocent Nigerians in other parts of the country.
Read Also: Buhari Inaugurates Made-In-Nigeria Vessel In Lagos
He said, ‘In the course of the conference, we discussed vigorously salient issues affecting the performance of our constitutional roles and the sustenance of professionalism.
‘We have equally considered the various security issues plaguing our nation. Consequently, our focus for the coming year would be on developing capacities for improved performances across board.
‘Emphasis will be placed on both individual and unit training that will enhance teamwork and professionalism.
‘Furthermore, commanders must ensure that their troops master the art of night operations and anti-ambush drills by engaging in effective night operations and anti-ambush drill training.
‘We must take the fight to the adversary in order to neutralise and defeat them. Commanders are also urged to develop contingency plans to ensure our forces always retain the initiative in all our theatres of operation.
‘In that vein, commanders must plan for the possible increase in scope and dimension of the activities of violent state actors in the coming year.’
Meanwhile, President Muhammadu Buhari has called on the Nigerian Army to do more in intelligence gathering and synergy with other security agencies in order to stem terrorism and other forms of insecurity confronting Africa’s most populous country.
According to him, the war against terrorism is intelligence-driven, saying that the army needed to gather information and process them into actionable intelligence for the conduct of their operations.
AFRICA DAILY NEWS, NEW YORK
