Like a classic series, Sokoto hosted the 2nd Commanding Officers Workshop for operational and tactical level commanders in September; the second capacity building conversation for Regimental Sergeant Majors (RSM), in November and climaxed with the Nigerian Army top-brass, weeklong Chief of Army Staff (COAS) Annual Conference 2022, in December.
Declaring open the second workshop, a follow up on the first, held in the 2 Division, Nigerian Army, Ibadan, Oyo State, Lt General Farouk Yahaya reiterated that training and retraining of personnel is very critical towards achieving success as doing so would help equip officers with global best practices.
The workshop themed, “Equipment Maintenance and Operational Efficiency: The Role of Operational and Tactical Level Commanders in the Nigerian Army As Well As Sister Services Through Inter-Agency Cooperation,” was a routine aimed at developing the capabilities of the commanding officers’ and junior commanders to enable them operate more effectively and efficiently.
At the Regimental Sergeant Majors (RSMs) second convention 2022, held at Lt Gen Tukur Buratai Auditorium, Ginginya Barracks Sokoto, the Chief of Army Staff said the training convention is strategic on Army operations as well as enhance discipline in the Nigerian Army.
He noted that, “building the capacity of RSMs is crucial to Nigerian Army’s operational effectiveness considering the important roles they play as custodian of discipline and regimentation .
“We held the first convention in Lagos and it was impactful hence, the need to approve biannual of this convention again in Sokoto, with the theme, ‘Capacity Building for Regimental Sergeant Majors in the Nigerian Army for Enhanced Regimentation,’ is apt and timely at the time Army is countering terrorism and insurgency.”
At the opening ceremony of the 2022 Annual Chief of Army Staff Conference held at International Conference Centre, Kasarawa, Sokoto State, President Muhammadu Buhari urged the military to remain apolitical saying their duties is to defend Nigeria territorial integrity.
Buhari, who said his administration would provide equipment and support for the Nigerian Army to carry out their constitutional duties in defending territorial integrity of the country stressed that the military should take the onslaught to the terrorists and secessionists until they are conquered.
The president who said the theme of this year’s conference, “Building a Professional Nigerian Army for the Twenty First Century Security Environment,” was timely implored the participants to analyse, review the lessons learnt at the conference.
Highlight of the opening ceremony was the presentation of Nigerian Army recognition award to six eminent Nigerians. The award recipients are Abdulsamad Isyaka Rabiu, Aliko Dangote, Dr Jim Ovia, Tony Elumelu Lt General Tukur Yusuf Buratai (rtd) and Col Hameed Ali (rtd).
According to Lt General Yahaya, the annual COAS conference “offers an avenue for reappraisal of the administrative affairs of the Nigerian Army, evaluate and comprehensively review ongoing operational engagements of the Nigerian Army in all theatres of operations across the six geo-political zones within the year.
“This provide the Nigerian Army an in-depth insight to take far reaching decisions that will be result oriented towards achieving its set objective of addressing the multifaceted security challenges in the country. The conference also created an opportunity for the COAS to have a face to face interaction with all the General Officers Commanding, Field Commanders and other senior officers to provide possible guidance on enhancing NA activities and operations.
“Furthermore, the conference reviews decisions taken at the Chief of Army Staff third quarter conference, while series of briefs and other updates bothering on various activities of the NA were presented and deliberated upon.”
The opening ceremony featured a lecture titled “Proliferation of Regional/State Security Outfits in Nigeria: Challenges and Prospects” by former Chief of Defence Staff, Gen Martin Luther Agwai (rtd).
Several other activities carried out during the conference include commissioning of various Nigerian Army Civil-Military relationship projects in various communities in Sokoto State.
The inaugurated projects include a state-of the-art 86-room two storey building command guest house and COAS guest house in Sokoto, a Mosque at International Conference Centre Kasarawa and renovated Mallam Sa’idu Nizzaniya Primary School, Sifawa, the alma-mater of the COAS in Bodinga LGA.
Other intervention projects by the Nigerian Army include the rehabilitated children ward in both Goronyo and Tangaza local government general hospitals, construction of drainage systems in Sifawa, distribution of educational materials to both primary and secondary schools in Bodinga local government area and medical outreach for residents of Sifawa and Emir Yahaya in Bodinga and Sokoto South local government areas respectively.
The Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ), Sokoto State Council, commended the pragmatic and exemplary leadership of Chief of Army Staff for ensuring professionalism in Nigeria Army and nation-building.
A statement by the NUJ chairman in the state, Dalhatu Abdullahi Safiyal-Magori, lauded the efforts of Lt General Yahaya over the successful conduct of the 2022 COAS Annual Conference and various community development protects inaugurated across Sokoto State.
Safiyal-Magori noted that, “the conference will surely leverage on sustained vigour for the transformation of the Nigerian Army as it was designed to elicit new ideas and proffer solutions for enhancement of Army activities.
“The civil-military projects executed by Nigerian Army scattered across the state and inaugurated during the COAS Annual Conference have also attested to the facts.”
Safiyal-Magori further lauded the national president of Nigerian Army Officers’ Wives Association (NAOWA), Mrs Salamatu Yahaya, who also inaugurated a solar-powered borehole, water-head tank donated by NAOWA and rehabilitated Vesico Virginal Fistula, VVF, centre in Sokoto State.
The centre located at Maryam Abacha Women and Children Hospital, underwent structural facelift, provided with office furniture, empowerment training tools and medical equipment.
The efforts, according to Mrs Yahaya, were part of NAOWA’s vision to support less privileged persons, women empowerment as well as uplift living standards of citizens.
The association also donated food stuff, detergents and other commodities to the VVF victims and commended the hospital management for the efforts on treatment and other livelihoods supports to VVF victims.
The national president also presented medical equipment, drugs and consumables to Sokoto Specialist Hospital, Sokoto, donated sewing and knitting machines, bicycles and foodstuff to orphanage homes in Sokoto.
