The Senate Committee on Army, on Wednesday, passed a vote of confidence on the Chief of Army Staff, Lt. General Taoreed Lagbaja.
The chairman of the Committee, Senator Abdulaziz Yar’Adua, who made the declaration when he led the Senate Committee to the Army Headquarters in Abuja, said the Nigerian Army was in good hands with Lt. Gen. Lagbaja as the Chief of Army Staff.
He described Gen. Lagbaja as a practical officer who was dedicated and committed to securing the nation.
“I want to assure you that I know the Chief of Army Staff, we have trained together and I want to assure you, you can see the selection of his principal staff officers. I know all of them, some we work together, some we trained together. Also, he made very careful selection of the best and all of them are practical officers. So be rest assured that the Army is in good hands, it is in the hands of practical officer, who is very intelligent and has the capacity to ensure that Nigerians are safe,” he stated.
Senator Yar’Adua, therefore, advocated more funding for the Nigerian Army and special funding for Nigerian Army education and medicals for personnel and their families.
He said lack of such would dampen the morale of troops at the battlefield.
“So my distinguished colleagues, please don’t be surprised when in the next budget you see a budget on education for them to enable them to maintain all their schools and also for medical care,” Senator Yar’Adua said.
The committee also assured the Army of legislative support to perform its constitutional mandate of securing the nation.
“We’ll make sure we do our best and I assure you that we’ll give you a total cooperation and support to ensure that these challenges are surmounted,” he added.
Earlier, General Lagbaja said the effectiveness of the Nigerian Army depends on the critical role of the legislature through appropriation.
The COAS stated this Wednesday when he received Senate Committee on Army.
“I want to start by appreciating this distinguished Senate Committee for the critical role you play in the effective functioning of the Nigerian Army.
The Nigerian Army recognises the critical role of the legislature in the effective functioning of the military, and the committee is critical to the performance of constitutional responsibility as an Army.
“We know quite well that without you appropriating funds, the Army cannot perform its day-to-day function,” the COAS stated.
He pledged the readiness of the Nigerian Army to continue to work harmoniously with the Senate Committee towards performing “constitutional responsibility effectively and in meeting the needs of the generality of Nigerians.”
“The Nigerian Army will continue to conduct operations in the field, combat the myriads of security challenges that confront us across the country, and will bring the military instrument of national power to bear and other areas where we can provide interventions and relief to Nigerians,” COAS Lagbaja stated.
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