President Muhammadu Buhari has directed the Nigerian Service Chiefs to replicate in other parts of the country the successes recorded in the fight against insurgency in the North East.
President Buhari said this has been bolstered by the unprecedented acquisitions in military platforms and hardware in the past few years.
He stated this while addressing the Passing out Parade and Commissioning Ceremony of Cadets of 69 Regular Course (Army, Navy and Air Force) of the Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA) in Kaduna on Thursday.
President Buhari listed comprehensive and systematic acquisitions by his administration within seven years, describing them as ‘unprecedented in the past 38 years of the Nigerian military.’
Commendation
He also used the occasion to commend the military for the safe release of the remaining 23 victims of the March 28 Abuja-Kaduna train attack on Wednesday.
President Buhari told the cadets it was an honour to serve as the Reviewing Officer of the Passing Out Parade of 69 Regular Course for the last time as President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
He said;”When this Government came in 2015, we inherited a country at crossroads, with bombs going off with frightening frequency even in our cities, and we came in to confront and manage the crisis.
‘‘This administration has since coming on board procured over 550 naval platforms, out of which 319 have been delivered, as part of the aggressive fleet recapitalisation of the Nigerian Navy.
”We have also increased the number of Nigerian Air Force platforms by more than 38% and enhanced the serviceability rate of aircraft in the NAF inventory by over 70%.
”In pursuing this same objective, the Nigerian Army has received more than 2000 units of various Armoured Fighting Vehicles, guns, and equipment. These are in addition to improved funding of the three Services along with other security and intelligence agencies.
”These comprehensive and systematic acquisitions within 7 years are not only unprecedented in the past 38 years, but they also align with our pledge to safeguard and strengthen the security architecture of our country.”
”Although this is not a forum to introduce you to the military hardware you are stepping out to inherit, it is imperative to identify the magnitude and complexities of conflicts surrounding us.
”While acknowledging that our measures have yielded results and we remain ever grateful for the sacrifices of members of the Armed Forces, we must brace up for the dimensions this conflict has taken,” President Buhari said.
Mercy Chukwudiebere
