The Nigerian Army, in collaboration with the Federal Government, has successfully cleared the initial batch of outstanding Group Life Assurance arrears dating back to 2012.
Furthermore, the Army has commenced payment of the Personnel Accident Insurance Scheme to its personnel. This significant milestone demonstrates the government’s commitment to prioritising the welfare of Nigerian Army personnel and their families.
The Personnel Accident Insurance Scheme is for those who were wounded in action or other forms of accident during Operations alongside the implementation of several other welfare schemes to improve the living standards of personnel and their families.
The Chief of Army Staff (COAS) Lieutenant General Taoreed Lagbaja disclosed this on Wednesday, 26 June 2024, when he addressed troops of the Nigerian Army Armoured Corps, at the official commissioning of the Corps Headquarters Complex in Obienu Barracks, Bauchi.
According to a statement by the Director of Army Public Relations, Major General Onyema Nwachukwu, the COAS urged the troops of the Nigerian Army to reciprocate the good gestures and derivatives of the ongoing transformation drive by giving their best to effectively combat security challenges bedeviling the country.
He stated that several combat platforms that are unique to the Armoured Corps are being repaired and retrofitted at the Nigerian Army Command Engineering Depot.
He enjoined the troops to respond to these positive developments by exhibiting high standards of discipline, dedication, and loyalty.
General Lagbaja also addressed the Biennial Reunion of the Armoured Corps, where he solicited the cooperation and collaboration of both serving and retired senior officers to move the Nigerian Army Armoured Corps forward and restore its traditional and rightful position as the Combat Arm of Decisions in the Nigerian Army.
Aside from the commissioning of the Armoured Corps Headquarters complex, the COAS also inaugurated a Fire Service Station and a Petroleum Oil Lubricants (POL) dump to service the Formation and Barracks.
The COAS also paid a courtesy visit to His Royal Highness Alhaji (Dr) Rilwan Sulaiman Adamu, the Emir of Bauchi, in recognition of the traditional institution and as part of an effort to galvanize support for the NA.
Speaking at the visit, the Governor of Bauchi State, represented by Deputy Governor Alhaji Mohammed Jattau noted that it is commendable to witness the proactive steps taken by the Nigerian Army and other security agencies to combat security challenges in the country.
He called for the sustenance of synergy amongst the security agencies, as they continue to jointly, tackle insecurity around the country.
While pledging that the Bauchi State Government will be committed to providing necessary support to stem the tide of insecurity and criminality in the state, Governor Jattau called on all citizens to continue to support the troops to enable them to carry out their constitutional responsibilities effectively.
Earlier in his address, His Eminence, Alhaji Mohammadu Abubakar III, the Sultan of Sokoto, who was a Tanker in his days as an officer of the Nigerian Army Armoured Corps, appreciated the role of the Nigerian Army and the Armoured Corps in the fight against terrorism and insurgency in the country.
He lauded the COAS for the remarkable transformation of the Nigerian Army under his watch within his one year in office, adding that it has positively impacted ongoing efforts to mitigate security challenges in the country. The royal father enjoined the COAS to sustain the development.
Mercy Chukwudiebere
