The Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lt Gen Taoreed Lagbaja, recently visited troops in Forward Operating Base and ordered them to track down insurgents in the general area of Niger State.
The visit was a sequel to the recent troops’ encounter with insurgents in the Zungeru general area of Niger State, in which gallant soldiers of the Nigerian Army paid the supreme price in defence of Nigeria.
The Director of Army Public Relations, Brig Gen Onyema Nwachukwu, relayed to journalists on Wednesday, said the COAS directed the immediate reinforcement of troops with additional combat enablers to enhance their operational effectiveness in the general area.
According to him, Lt Gen Lagbaja arrived in Minna, Niger state capital, in the late hours of Tuesday and immediately moved to Forward Operating Base Erena in Shiroro LGA of Niger State on Wednesday, where he received briefs on the current security situation in the area from the General Officer Commanding 1 Division, Maj Gen Bamidele Alabi.
He said the COAS addressed troops and urged them to rally together and be more persistent in bringing the nation’s adversaries to their knees and restoring sanity in troubled areas.
He maintained that the fight against insurgents and bandits is a just cause in defence of Nigerians and the nation.
According to the Army Chief, “Protecting lives and defending your nation is the noblest service anyone can offer. You are, therefore, in the noble profession of arms and must not allow your morale to dwindle.
“We must defeat the adversaries of our people and take back every inch of space where they are hibernating in our land,” he added.
Lagbaja promised to prioritise the welfare of troops and their families as encapsulated as the topmost pillars of his command philosophy.
