The acting Chief of Army Staff, Lt Gen. Olufemi Oluyede, has assured that he will contribute his utmost by working with the National Assembly and other stakeholders to bring lasting peace to across the country.
The Army Boss also said his exposure to national security issues in the military profession’s junior, middle, and senior cadres over the last thirty years has adequately prepared him for the task ahead.
Oluyede said this when he appeared before the House of Representatives Joint Committee on Defence and Army on Wednesday at the National Assembly Complex in Abuja for screening.
He said the present security environment required a united effort on the part of every Nigerian, strong bilateral ties, multilateral alliances between the country and its neighbours, deep collaboration, and joint efforts by the services and other security agencies.
“I am honoured this evening to be considered worthy of playing a part in these efforts, and I look forward to contributing my utmost best by working with the National Assembly and other stakeholders to bring lasting peace to the length and breadth of our dear country, Nigeria.
“I humbly appear before you today to be confirmed as the 24th Chief of Army Staff of the Nigerian Army simply because tragedy befell our Army and Armed Force, and as a nation in total when the 23rd Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Taoreed Lagbaja passed after a brief illness.
“Although before his passing, I had been appointed by Mr President, His Excellency Bola Ahmed, to act in his place pending his expected full recovery and resumption of duty as the Chief of Army Staff then.
“After Lieutenant General Lagbaja’s demise and state funeral on 15 November 2024, Mr. President, in his wisdom, found me worthy to fully continue the excellent job the Army has been doing here and get confirmed by the National Assembly.
“I have served this great nation as an officer of the Nigerian Army for over 30 years. My exposure to national security issues at the junior, middle, and senior cadres of the military profession has prepared me adequately for the assignment I am being screened for here today.
“In the past five years or so, I have operated at the senior operational and management levels of the Nigerian Army and have somewhat been part of running the service.
“Thus, I cannot completely distance myself from the successes or setbacks of our great army in the past couple of years. However, I see my nomination as the Chief of Army Staff as a privileged opportunity to be in the driver’s seat and bring about more positive changes to the Nigerian Army to enable it to fulfil its
constitutional responsibilities.
“Thus, if confirmed by this joint committee and given the common mandate to lead the Nigerian Army during this period, I promise to do my best to justify the confidence imposed in me by the appointing authority, which is His Excellency Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the confirming authority which is you members of the National Assembly and the generality of Nigerians, the general said.
While stressing the need for the Nigerian Army to have tactical aircraft, he said; “Aircraft have different strata of employment. We have the tactical and the strategic strata of employment.
“Now the air support that we require as an army is the one at the tactical level, whereby the aircraft should be ready at the force during operations, the combat operations, at the tactical level, while the air force, being the main players in that sphere, are to give us strategic cover. So we require those aircraft and the air wing to support our operations.”
In his remarks before the screening exercise went into closed doors, the chairman of the House Committee on Defence, Hon. Babajimi Benson, said Nigeria continues to contend with an evolving spectrum of security challenges, ranging from insurgency and banditry to communal clashes and cyber threats.
According to the lawmaker, the Nigerian Armed Forces have been at the forefront of responding to these challenges, launching numerous operations and providing vital support to internal security efforts.
Benson assured that the House would continue to provide the necessary legal frameworks, press for adequate funding, and monitor the implementation of appropriations to ensure accountability and transparency in military operations.
“The current dynamics of global security demand innovative and adaptive strategies. Threats are no longer confined to traditional battlefields; they now extend to cyberspace, economic domains and even the socio-political fabric of nations.
“In light of this, we must prioritise a forward-looking approach to national defence, ensuring that our military is well-equipped and adequately trained to address both conventional and emerging threats.
“If confirmed, you will be expected to foster synergy among security agencies, prioritise the welfare of troops and uphold the trust of Nigerians. This committee will ask questions that reflect the concerns of our constituents and the nation’s concerns. We urge you to provide comprehensive and candid responses to guide our deliberations,” he said.
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