The Chief of Army Staff, Lt-Gen Toareed Lagbaja has declared significant reduction in bandits’ activities in Kaduna, Niger and Zamfara States.
He attributed the feat to intensive military operations designed to flush the affected states of criminal elements.
Gen. Lagbaja stated this during a visit to the 4 Special Forces Command in Doma, the headquarters of Doma local government area of Nasarawa State.
LEADERSHIP reports that Kaduna, Zamfara and Niger became hotbeds of bandits and insurgents’ activities following sustained military onslaught in the North East where they had held sway.
To sustain and improve on the current results, Lagbaja charged the troops to recognise the significant successes recorded so far in tackling insecurity in most parts of the country and North Central geopolitical zone in particular.
Lagbaja stressed on the success in stabilising Niger State, which used to be very volatile and highlighted similar success in Kaduna.
He said, “Following my assumption as the 23rd Chief of Army Staff on June 23, 2023, I have taken the time to visit formations and units of the Nigerian Army. The purpose is to physically assess the living and working conditions of the officers, soldiers and their families to identify gaps and areas where the Army Headquarters needs to intervene to make life more meaningful for them.
“It is also meant to assess the operational readiness of our formations and units considering our current engagements in all the states of the federation and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) to enhance the operational efficiency of these formations and provide essential welfare support for the troops and their families,” he said.
The army chief urged the troops to continue to adopt strategic innovations in combating the spate of insurgency and criminality in all parts of the country
Lagbaja also charged them to continue to put the unity and security of Nigeria above other considerations and ensure that there is no hiding place for criminal elements.
The COAS, who also visited Benue State, restated the commitment of the troops in tackling the security challenges in some parts of Benue and the contiguous states.
While on a courtesy visit to the governor of Benue State, Hyacinth Alia, the army chief in a statement issued by the director of Army Public Relations, Brig-Gen Onyema Nwachukwu, appreciated the governor, government and people of the state for the existing cordial relationship between the state and the Nigerian Army on one hand and the support extended to the troops operating in Benue on the other hand.
Governor Alia appreciated the efforts and sacrifices of the troops in maintaining the peace in Benue.
He pledged his administration’s continued support to enhance the troops’ operational efficiency in the protection of life and property of the citizenry.
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