The Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen Faruk Yahaya has disclosed that the war against bandits/terrorists in the North West and North Central Zones of the country is yeilding positive results as scores of the bandits/terrorists are being neutralized on a daily basis without the Army making noise about it.
“Our successes starting from the North East are obvious. It is there for everyone to see. Coming to the North West and the North Central, the results are there but it is not complete yet. We are dealing with them, neutralizing them, arresting many of them.
Speaking when the new Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Defence, Dr. Ibrahim Abubakar Kana paid him a working visit at Arrmy headquarter’s, the Army Chief said, “Many times what you see happen is one incident out of many you don’t hear about”.
“For every one incident you see, we have foiled, thwarted 10, 20 of them. We have neutralized many, recovered weapons, arrested many. So it is those who escape that you hear about. But for the few incidents, we are strategizing. We are not relenting.
“We have done a lot in Birnin Gwari and other areas in Kaduna, Niger State and other areas, Zamfara and Katsina states which you are not aware about. We are not deterred by any criminal group. We will get all of them but I continue to call on support, relevant information from Nigerian’s”.
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While welcoming the Perm Sec, Gen Yahaya said, “We have always had a good working relationship between the Nigerian Army and the Ministry of Defence and with you at the ministry who has past experience with us, the we will continue this relationship.
Earlier, Dr. Abubakar Kana said the ministry of Defence, because of the myriads of security challenges is one ministry that gets its budgetary releases promptly and 100 per cent hence to whom much is given, much is expected from the military. Most ministries go through financial challenges but the MOD does not fa e this challenge.
He disclosed that going by the reform for the ministry of Defence which President Muhammadu Buhari has approved, some senior Army Generals should be getting ready to be posted to the MOD as Directors.
“We must have brilliant, intellectual military officers posted to the ministry are directors and work as is done in other places. The Pentagon in the US is an example.
Furthermore, he said he will focus on two priority areas which are education and health noting that “In the past Nigerian Army Secondary (Command) Schools were the destination of choice because of quality of output but today military personnel are sending their children to Private Schools, paying exhorbitant fees’.
“So we will work with the COAS to see how we can upgrade educational institutiions and bring back the high quality for which they are renown. Military officers should not be sending their children to private schools at extra costs.,”
Present during the visit were Principal Staff Officers at Army headquarters including Major Gen Anthony Omozojie, Chief of Policy and Plans, Major Gen Ataguba, Chief of Army Standards and Evaluation, Major Gen Ayenigba, Provost Marshal Army and Major Gen Salihu, Chief of Military Intelligence.
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