The motivation provided by the leadership of the Chief of Army Staff Lieutenant General Faruk Yahaya has upscaled the operational disposition of troops in battle since the assumption of office which has resulted in the neutralization of high profile terrorist commanders and their foot soldiers.
The Director Army Public Relations, Brigadier General Onyema Nwachukwu stated this while briefing journalists ahead of the Chief of Army Staff’s Annual Conference, at Army Headquarters, Abuja.
While highlighting some of the strides attained under the leadership of Lieutenant General Faruk Yahaya, General Nwachukwu stated that the kinetic and non-kinetic activities in the theatre of Operation have led to the mass surrender of fighters and recovery of combat equipment, which has substantially degraded the terrorists fighting capability.
He further stated that the surrendering posture of the Boko Haram insurgents and their Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) terrorists in droves signifies the strength of the leadership direction the Chief of Army Staff has provided to the Nigerian Army coupled with the cooperation of other Services.
“This operational feat clearly attests to the pragmatic leadership of the Chief of Army Staff, who has at various times traversed the theatre landscape shoring up troops’ fighting will and motivation to subdue the adversary. This was further supported with robust welfare packages provided for troops in the theatre. This ingeniously charged the troops to take the war to the enclaves and fortresses of the criminal elements”
” Interestingly, this has led to increasing public confidence on the counter insurgency operations, culminating in the mass return of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) to their ancestral homes and has significantly restored socio economic activities, particularly farming and commerce, which hitherto were the mainstay of the economy of the NE region” stated General Nwachukwu.
Speaking on the activities lined up for the 2021 Chief of Army Staff’s Annual Conference, the Army Public Relations Director said the forum affords the army an opportunity to appraise Nigerian Army’s performance within a period of one year.
It will also afford the participants an opportunity to evaluate training, operational activities as well as logistics and administrative matters for the year 2021 as well as make projections for subsequent years, with a view to reposition the Nigerian Army for optimal performance in the discharge of its constitutional roles.
The major highlights of this year’s COAS Annual Conference are as follows: On Sun 5 Dec 21, participants would arrive Abuja and be registered at the venue.
The Opening Ceremony of the Event will hold on Mon 6 December where the President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces Federal Republic of Nigeria, President Muhammadu Buhari GCFR will be the Special Guest of Honour, The Honourable Minister of Defence, Maj Gen Salihi Bashir Magashi (Rtd) will also be in attendance.
On Tue 7 Dec 21, the Director General Department of State Services, Mr. Yusuf Magaji Bichi will be delivering a lecture titled, “Current and Future Security Perception in Nigeria”. The conference will dovetail into Dinner Night on Wed 8 Dec by 7pm in honour of retiring senior NA officers.
On Thu 9 Dec 21, the Chief of Training (Army), Major General AB Ibrahim will be delivering a lecture titled, “Effectiveness of Realistic and Practical Training: An Appraisal of Exercise RESTORE HOPE”.
Similarly, on Fri 10 Dec 21, the Chief of Transformation and Innovation (Army), Maj Gen C Ofoche will make a presentation on “Strategies for Implementation of Lessons Learned”.
Other highlights of the conference are briefs by Field Commanders of Nigerian Army Operations, both in Nigeria and outside the shores of the country, on their operational activities, successes and future projections.
The Conference has as its theme: Building Nigerian Army capacity in combating emerging security threats in a Joint operation environment.
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