The Etsu Nupe, Alhaji Yahaya Abubakar, has called for more training, sufficient equipment and public support for the Nigerian military to defeat the nation’s enemies.
The Royal Father disclosed this while speaking with newsmen on Wednesday in Abuja during the 52nd Anniversary Celebration of the Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA) Regular Course 14 Alumni Association.
Abubakar, a member of the course, said the Nigerian military had been battle-tested on several fronts and had what it took to tackle the menace of insecurity confronting the nation.
He said the challenges of terrorism, banditry and other forms of criminality were challenges that many countries had faced, saying that the military needed to recalibrate its operation.
“Regarding the security situation, in terms of training and equipment, we have to give them to our troops. We will continue to be supportive of our military.
“Nigerian soldiers and officers have been tested within and outside this country. Our officers had gone outside this country and participated in missions, and they performed wonderfully.
“When there was a crisis in Liberia and Sierra Leone, our troops went there and performed very well in maintaining peace in those countries.
“Now that we are having our challenges. These are mere challenges because every country worldwide has its challenges.
“So I urge all of us to come together and brainstorm, especially regarding manpower, equipment, and training. This will enable us to confront any challenge that we have.
“We believe in our military, we have that confidence in our military that whatever condition we find ourselves, security-wise, they will overcome it, Insha Allah,” he said.
The monarch said the 52nd anniversary celebration was organised to appreciate God for their lives and remember their colleagues who had passed on.
He said the occasion allowed them to reunite members from different parts of the country, who trained and got commissioned together.
According to him, retired officers and gentlemen have contributed in some way to this country’s security, welfare, social, and economic development.
“So it is a thing that we must cherish. It is a thing that we should find time together, like this, to celebrate and to thank God Almighty and also to pray Almighty Allah, to grant all of us who are still living, to continue to contribute our quota for the development, stability and peace of this country,” he added.
The President of RC 14 Alumni Association, retired Maj.-Gen. Harris Dzarma said 94 young men, wearing blue shorts, white vests, and combat shoes, were inaugurated as officer cadets at the NDA on July 2, 1973.
Dzarma recalled that most were commissioned into the three services—the army, navy, and air force—after 30 months of intense training, adding that many had become senior citizens 52 years on.
“To summarise briefly, 68 cadets were commissioned into the Nigerian Army, 15 into the Nigerian Navy, and eight into the Air Force.
“Sadly, we lost some very early in our service years and then the NAF C-130 that crashed at Ejibo, and the DOTU-28 crash in Bokkos that took many of our best and brightest.
“On the brighter side, 14th RC has produced two service chiefs: LN Yusuf for the Army, and I Ibrahim for the Navy.
“We also produced two chiefs of staff to the Liberian Armed Forces – LN Yusuf and SA Abdurrahman, both of this blessed memory.
“We also produced military administrators. In a similar display of excellence, the course has produced Commandants of Tri-Service Institutions, many Principal Staff Officers at Defence and Services Headquarters, General Officers Commanding, and Corps Commanders.
“In retirement, we have also produced four Traditional Rulers. The Academy molded this motley crowd into distinguished gentlemen officers,” he said.
The Course Secretary, retired Maj.-Gen. Lawrence Jokotola said the 52nd reunion was about bringing them together after they left service at various times, ranging from 25 to 17 years.
Jokotola said the reunion was also to see how they were conducting their lives, to share minds, encourage one another, and to see where they could stand in the gap.
He urged all citizens to unite and rally together to fight the demon called insurgency by sharing information and learning from one another.
He said service life has been unique because they have had opportunities to give their best.
“And even in retirement, we are still pushing in different directions of endeavour to ensure that we keep our ambitions alive,” he said.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the Sultan of Sokoto, Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar III, among other eminent dignitaries, attended the event.
(NAN)
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