Rejuvenate fighting spirit, imbibe warrior ethos, COAS tasks troops
Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Major General Taoreed Lagbaja PHOTO: Twitter
• Will intensify efforts until N’Delta is free of oil bnkering, Air chief assures
• Visits families of NAF helicopter crash victims
Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lieutenant General Taoreed Lagbaja, has tasked troops of the Nigerian Army (NA) to rejuvenate the fighting spirit and imbibe military ethos of discipline and regimentation that creates cohesion and bond for the conduct of efficient military operations.
The COAS said this is needed because the nation is witnessing a challenging time in its history, with myriads of complex security challenges bedeviling it, and enormous responsibility it portends for the army.
Lagbaja disclosed this, yesterday, in his opening remark at a one-day seminar tagged, ‘Intensifying Warrior Ethos, Regimentation in the Nigerian Army, Management of Post Trauma Stress Disorder (PTSD), Drug and Substance Abuse,’ organised by the Department of Transformation and Innovation, NA, held at the 6 Division, Nigerian Army Headquarters in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.
Lagbaja, represented by the General Officer Commanding (GOC) 6 Division, NA, and Land Component Commander, Joint Task Force, Operation Delta Safe, Major General Jamal Abdussalam, said in the face of the security challenges, NA will continue to review its tactics, techniques and procedures for implementable strategies to defeat adversaries with both kinetic and non-kinetic means.
He, however, ordered commanders at all levels to redirect their efforts and strive towards rejuvenating the fighting spirit of all troops under their commands, stressing that the prevailing incidence of drug and substance abuse, as well as Post Trauma Stress Disorder (PTSD) among troops deployed in the theatres of operation is worrisome.
IN another development, the Chief of Air Staff (CAS), Air Marshal Hassan Abubakar, has said the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) will not rest on its oars until illegal oil refining and economic sabotage are eradicated in the Niger Delta.
The NAF chief gave the assurance, yesterday, during a one-day tour to units and formation of the Air Force Base in Rivers State. Abubakar, who expressed satisfaction with the recent achievement by the officers, noted that NAF will continue to intensify operations to clampdown on illegal refining sites, as well as illegal lifting of crude, while assuring that NAF will clear the region of criminal elements.
He said: “In the recent past, we have intensified our operations, and we have been taking out a lot of illegal refining sites, as well as illegal boats. We will continue to do this until we clear the region of these criminal elements.”
Speaking to newsmen on his visit to the state, Abubakar noted that he was in the state to sympathise with families of two personnel, who died in the M-I 171 helicopter crash, which happened the previous week.
He said: “You recall that about a week ago, we had an unfortunate crash involving one of our airplanes, the M-I 171 helicopter, in which the entire members of the crew on board died. The 115 Special Operations Group is the home base for the airplane, and all the crew that were onboard.
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