Lagbaja Vows To Restore Peace In Plateau

Chief of Army Staff, Lt-Gen Taoreed Lagbaja, has said the Nigerian Army will do everything possible to ensure that there is peace and security in Plateau State.

He said the service will continue to focus on the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPSS) to avert a hostage situation where participants and staff of the institute are kidnapped.

Lagbaja spoke when he received the staff of the National Institute of Policy and Strategic Studies, Kuru, Jos, at his office in Abuja on Monday.

The Army chief said the entire service is worried about the spate of insecurity in Plateau State, adding that the service is not only concerned about the safety of its personnel but also residents and government institutions in the state.

He said the Army would stop at nothing to ensure peace returned to the state.

He said, “We are concerned about the security situation in Plateau, we should be duly concerned because we have our officers not only in the Maxwell Kobe cantonment but we have them deployed all around the state.

“We will continue to do what we need to do to ensure that there is peace and security in the state. We will continue to focus on the institute because we do not want a hostage situation where participants and staff of the institute are kidnapped.

“We will enhance the security of the institute, and we will also enhance the security of other government institutions. The overall aim is to have peace and stability in Plateau State. ”

The Army chief also said the non-kinetic approach remains the best way to end the security challenges bedeviling the country.

He said, “The Nigerian Army always takes a holistic approach to addressing the issue of insecurity. It has been said over and over that the kinetic effort takes about 20–30 percent to resolve any security challenge, especially when the challenges are internal in nature.

“The non-kinetics is significant, and they must be visible on the field to achieve the much-desired stability and lasting peace. We are ready to work with the institute to develop a module on the non-kinetic approach.”