Every year, the Nigerian Army gathers to assess its activities as well as project for the future under the auspices of the Chief of Army Staff Conference. This year, top military brass gathered in Kaduna to appraise the performance of Nigerian Army in 2019.The conference, which was declared open by President Muhammadu Buhari, brought together stakeholders in the security circles in Nigeria – from principal staff officers, Army Headquarters, corps commanders, general officers commanding, operations commanders, commandants of Nigerian Army corps and schools, to other senior officers serving and retired.
Also in attendance were the Minister of Defence, Maj Gen Bashir Magashi (rtd), Kaduna State Governor, Malam Nasir el-Rufai, senate committee chairman on Army, Senator Ali Ndume, and House Committee Chairman on Army, Hon. Abdulkadir Namdas.
In addition to pure military activities such as operational briefs by field commanders from their various areas of responsibility and theatres of operation; assessment of the overall performance of Nigerian Army and projections for better performance in the discharge of its constitutional roles; there was medical outreach in selected communities of Kaduna State as part of promoting civil-military relationship.There was also an exhibition of some armaments manufactured by Nigerian Army as well as other private sector partners. One of the high points of the conference was the commissioning of 44NARHK Kaduna by President Muhammadu Buhari, which has been under construction since 2009.In his keynote address, President Buhari commended the efforts of Nigerian Army in tackling insecurity across the country and assured troops of their welfare. “I salute the gallant efforts of the personnel of the Nigerian Army. I am highly impressed with conduct of your operations by continuing to flush out terrorists from their hiding places.”
He condoled families of the fallen heroes adding that their sacrifices would never be in vain. “Many personnel have lost their lives, some have sustained injuries and a significant number have been away from their families for a long time. I once again, send my condolences to the families of those who have paid the supreme sacrifice in an effort to safeguard the sovereignty of our great nation. May their souls rest in perfect peace.”He said his administration would ensure the security and safety of law-abiding citizens. He urged the Nigerian Army and other security agencies to abide by the rules of engagement and international code of conduct during any operation.“I urge our soldiers to continue to abide by their ethics and ethos and keep to the rules of engagement and ensure international humanitarian laws are observed and respected in the conduct of military operations.”The President commended the Chief of Army Staff, Lt Gen TY Buratai on the interventionist efforts in critical areas such as “the innovative and inventive approach to producing military hardware, infrastructural development, restructuring and reorganisation, among others, with significant results.”“It is encouraging to note that, the Nigerian Army as a critical element of national power is involved in innovative and inventive ventures to become an army to be proud of in the future by Nigerians.He has keyed into Federal Government’s change agenda and I commend his job in the area of innovative and inventive approach to produce military hardware, infrastructural development, restructuring and reorganisation among other significant results, particularly in the ongoing counter insurgency and other operations across the country.“This government will continue to support the army to sustain these laudable initiatives aimed at repositioning you to deal with contemporary challenges and to achieve a modern army of the future.“There is no doubt that a lot has been achieved by the army since my assumption of office.”The President also enumerated other modernizing efforts by the Nigerian Army to include: establishment of Nigerian Army University, Biu, Nigerian Army Resources Centre, Nigerian Army War College, Army Cyber Warfare Command, Fifty Space Command and the Land Forces Segregation Center. He said the efforts were laudable and aimed at boosting intellectual capacity and repositioning the Nigerian Army to address emerging and future threats to national security.The President acknowledged that the conference was an avenue for strategic leaders and operational commanders to appraise, assess and evaluate the army’s activities for 2019 as well as make projections for 2020 and beyond.
“This kind of self-assessment is being sustained because it is critical for the professional development of the Nigerian Army.”Before commissioning the ultra modern 44 Military Hospital, the President inaugurated a military war vehicle manufactured by Defence Industrial Corporation of Nigeria, DICON. The brand is a mine-resistant ambush-protected vehicle code named ‘EZUGWU’. It is expected to be inducted into security operations in the North-east.“These armored vehicles that were produced by DICON are testimonies that the government’s effort is yielding positive results.”The President commended the collaborative efforts of the Command
Engineering Depot with relevant indigenous organizations to promote local content towards developing Nigeria’s Military Industrial Complex.Also displayed at the exhibition were primary and secondary armaments.
There were also prototypes from the Nigerian Defence Academy and an unmanned aircraft vehicle,The Bml Panchinto Aircraft, displayed by private sector partners. In his remarks, the Minister of Defecne, Maj Gen Bashir Magashi also commended the Nigerian Army for its outstanding leadership and focus on ensuring peace and security in Nigeria.Kaduna State Governor, Malam Nasir el-Rufai also commended the transformational drive of the Nigerian Army since 2015, acknowledging the efforts in maintaining peace in Kaduna State. “We are proud of the leadership of the Nigerian Army. Here in Kaduna, we cannot forget the role the Nigerian Army plays in encouraging peace and security across the state in the last four years.“We appreciate the initiative, innovative and investments undertaken by the army which by extension benefit our people.”The conference no doubt brought to the fore the determination of Nigerian Army to truly transform into a modernized force better equipped to confront emerging and future security challenges both internal and external. The attendance and unveiling of the new armaments by President Muhammadu Buhari was also a clear demonstration of political support to the armed services.However, to sustain the current momentum, all stakeholders must also realise that unlike other sectors, such programmes must not be administration or personality dependent – it must be institutional and Nigeria-centred so that laudable project such as the transformation in the military in the last four years are not truncated.
