The Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Faruk Yahaya, has commended President Muhammadu Buhari for his strategic direction, support, encouragement, guidance, and confidence reposed on the Army.
General Yahaya gave the commendations at the official opening ceremony of the Second Commanding Officers Workshop 2022 at Lit. General Tukur Buratai Auditorium in Giginya Barracks, Sokoto State, Northern Nigeria.
According to him, the Army remains grateful to President Buhari for the efforts towards ensuring Army is operationally reboost to carry out its constitutional responsibilities.
He commended the organisers of the commanding officer’s workshop which he said; “is a routine training package in the Nigerian Army aimed at developing commanding officers and junior commanders towards operating more efficiently and effectively.”
Follow up training
General Yahaya said that the training was a follow-up to the first commanding officer’s workshop which was held in the 82 Division area of responsibility early this year.
He said; “I have realised that aside from other identified challenges one of the gaps hampering the successful conduct of military operations is inadequate and non-continuous training.
” Therefore I consider it imperative to ensure that training of personnel is given the priority it deserves and it informs the careful articulation of my vision to the Nigerian Army.
“As you are all aware the current operatives environment is dynamic and complex, it is, therefore, necessary to enhance the capacity of personnel, particularly commanders of tactical and operational levels for efficient and decisive employment of land powers to achieve desired goals.”
General Yahaya explained that “the training would go a long way to refocus the perspective of commanding officers and junior commanders toward operating effectively and efficiently in a joint environment.”
He urged Army officers to always remain resolute and continue to train harder to attain the desired professional competence that is highly required at this critical period to confront security challenges in the country.
In his address of welcome, the General Officer Commanding 8 Division, Major General Uwem Bassey, welcomed all the participants to the second commanding officer’s workshop.
Sharing experience
General Bassey said; “the workshop would provide an opportunity for the participants to share past experiences in the fight against banditry, kidnapping, insurgency, and terrorism in the area of operations.”
He said “the workshop is a testimony of exceptional determination to enhancing training which is a pillar of the Chief of Army Staff’s vision.”
The participants of the training are commanding officers from the northern part of the country, comprising officers from 1, 3, and 8 Divisions.
General Bassey said, “the workshop would refocus the perspective of Commanding officers on their primary roles as it concerns equipment maintenance to enhance efficiency while carrying out their tasks in different operatives’ environments.”
The Sokoto State Governor, Aminu Tambuwal, commended the Nigerian Army and other security operatives for the re-establishment of peace in the state.
He described the theme of the workshop as apt and timely which would help to resolve many security challenges across the country.
Governor Tambuwal assured the Chief of Army Staff of the state government of continuous support with other security operatives.
Also, the Sultan of Sokoto and President General Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs, Alhaji Muhammad Sa’ad, commended the Nigerian Army for their relentless efforts towards safeguarding the country.
Sultan Sa’ad urged the Army to always strengthen collaboration with other sister security operatives for effective service delivery.
He assured traditional institutions of continuous support and cooperation to security to return lasting peace across the country.
The theme of the 2022 Second Commanding Officers Workshop is ” Equipment Maintenance and operational efficiency: the role of Operational and Tactical Level Commanders in the Nigerian Army as well as Sister Services through Inter-Agency Cooperation.”
Mercy Chukwudiebere
