FG will continue fighting all criminalities to standstill, says Defence Minister

The Minister of Defence, Major-Gen. Bashir Magashi (rtd), on Saturday said that the Federal Government would not rest on its oars in the fight against all forms of criminalities in the country.

Magashi stated this during the 2020 Army Day celebration/ Inauguration of Compendium on Transformation of the Nigerian Army under the Chief of Army Staff (CoAS), Lt. Gen. Tukur Burutai in Faskari Local Government of Katsina State.

He explained that the federal government under President Muhammadu Buhari would not leave any stone unturned to fight in all trouble spots in the country.

The minister said “these include the fight against the Boko Haram terrorism, armed banditry, kidnapping, cattle rustling, armed robbery, pipe line vandalism, among others”.

Magashi said that President Buhari equally assured that all the obligations of the Nigerians Army would be discharged to them to boost their morale.

He commended CoAS, officers and men of Army for their dedication, obedience and loyalty in the fight against insurgency and all forms of criminalities across the nation.

“Let me state categorically clearly here that the nation has remained indebted to the Nigerian Army and all the other members of the armed forces in the fight to secure the country,” the minister said.

Earlier in a remark, Burutai said that he had improved the efficiency and operations of the Nigerian Army since his assumption of office from 2015 to date.

He stated that the officers and men had deployed new skills and techniques in their operations as result of his transformation, courtesy of the support and cooperation he was receiving from the Buhari administration.

The Chairman of the Central Planning Committee, Maj-Gen Nuhu Angbazo, GOC 3 Armoured Division, Jos, Plateau, thanked officers and men from other arms of the military and the entire members of the public for gracing the occasion.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that AVM IO Amao representated the Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Sadeeq Abubakar, while Rear Admiral TT Dakuut, represented the Chief of Naval Staff at the occasion.

Nine officers and seven soldiers were given the CoAS Award for their gallantry and bravery which promoted the Nigerian Army.