NADCEL/COSAT 2019: Army committed to achieving its mandate through professionalism – Buratai.

Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Tukur Yusuf Buratai has assured of the commitment of the Army as a professionally responsive force to fulfilling its constitutional role of defending the territorial integrity of the nation.

Speaking on Friday in Maiduguri when he flag off the 2019 Nigerian Army Day Celebration NADCEL and Combat Support Arms Training Week (COSAT), the COAS emphasized that both NADCEL and COSAT are important milestones in the implementation of the Nigerian Army training activities even as he training activities for year 2019 even as he thanked the media for their continuous support in ensuring peace in Nigeria while urging journalists in the country to practice factual journalism by trashing publications tantamount of inciting the people and breaching peace.

“NADCEL is an annual event which usually culminates on 6 July every year. It is an occasion used as a platform for the Nigerian Army to reflect on our performance and celebrate it’s achievements as well as highlight our operations as key instrument of National Power, unity, integration and development” he said.

“Suffice to state that the Nigerian Army has been leveraging on the event to also showcase our commitments as a professionally responsive force”.

‘On the other hand COSAT is an important training activity which provides a platform for the combat support arms to reappraise their performance in providing combat support to NA operations.

Explaining why NADCEL and COSAT is being held jointly this year, Buratai said this year’s celebration tagged ‘ NADCEL/COSAT 2019’ is deliberately designed to focus on the Nigerian Army’s commitments as a professionally responsive force in the discharge of its constitutional roles.

The combination of the two events Buratai said, is a novelty which effectively supports Nigerian Army’s drives towards the building of a professionally responsive force which influenced the choice of the theme for this year’s celebration which is “Professionally responsive soldering: panacea for successful military operations.”

“The combined events is scheduled for 28 June to 6 July 2019 in Lagos, 81 Division’s area of responsibility.

It will be recalled that NADCEL 2018 afforded the participants and guests the opportunity to embedded in a real time military operation code named “Operation Last hold”.

“The benefit we derived from the exercise were quite enormous as it enabled us to test virtually all aspects of our administrative, logistics and operational activities as a fighting force.

“This year’s event is a deft move directed towards enhancing our training with particular emphasis on the combat support arms for enhanced capacity building.

“This is coming at a time we are actively involved in multifarious operations across the country in which the thorough knowledge of procedures, application of firepower, resource management and actionable intelligence are most invaluable for our success”, Buratai added.

Activities lines up for the celebration include sanitation exercises, interdenominational Church Services, Jumaat service, medical outreaches in all units and formations and a series of lectures to be delivered by erudite scholars.

Other activities lined up for the week-long celebrations include commissioning of projects in barracks around Lagos, a parade match past and NADCEL/COSAT dinner.

Gen Buratai assured that the Nigerian Army is continuously making progress towards ensuring the development of this country

He therefore solicited the cooperation and goodwill of all well meaning Nigerians to ensure peace, security and safety of lives and property.

He called on the media to desist from negative reporting capable of inciting people and breaching the peace. while assuring all Nigerians that the Army will continue to work hard and collaborate with other security agencies.

Full text of the COAS speech reads:

“I am highly delighted to welcome you all to this important occasion of the press briefing on the conduct of this year’s combined Nigerian Army Day Celebration (NADCEL) and Combat Support Arms Training Week (COSAT) 2019. Both NADCEL and COSAT 2019 are important milestones in the implementation of the Nigerian Army Training activities for year 2019. This press briefing is to therefore kick start the NADCEL / COSAT activities.

“The Nigerian Army Day Celebration is an annual event which usually culminates on 6 July every year. It is an occasion used as a platform for the NA to reflect on our performances and celebrate its achievements as well as highlight our operations as key instrument of national power, unity, integration and development. Suffice to state that NA has been leveraging on the event to also showcase our commitment as a professionally responsive force. On the other hand, COSAT is an important training activity which provides a platform for the combat support arms to reappraise their performance in providing combat support to NA operations. Accordingly, NADCEL and COSAT will be held jointly this year tagged as NADCEL / COSAT 2019. This year’s celebration is deliberately designed to focus on the Nigerian Army’s commitment as a professionally responsive force in the discharge of its constitutional roles. The combination of the two events is a novelty which effectively support NA’s drive towards the building of a professionally responsive force. This influenced the choice of our theme for this year’s celebration which is “Professionally Responsive Soldiering: A Panacea For Successful Military Operations”. The combined event is scheduled for 28 June — 6 July 2019 in Lagos, 81 Division’s Area of Responsibility.

“It will be recalled that NADCEL 2018 afforded the participants and guests the opportunity to be embedded in a real time military operation codenamed Operation LAST HOLD. The benefits we derived from this exercise were quite enormous as it enabled us to test virtually all aspects of our administrative logistics and operational activities as a fighting force. This year’s event is a deft move directed towards enhancing our training with particular emphasis on the combat support arms for enhanced capacity building. This is coming at a time we are actively involved in multifarious operations across the country in which the thorough knowledge of procedures, application of fire power, resource management and actionable intelligence are most invaluable for our success.

“Like I said earlier, this media briefing signals the commencement of this year’s event. It will be followed by sanitation exercises, Jumma’at service, medical outreaches in all units and formations and a series of lectures to be delivered by erudite scholars. Other activities lined up for the week long celebration include commissioning of projects in NA barracks around Lagos, a parade march past and NADCEL / COSAT dinner.

“Gentleman of the press, the NA is continuously making progress towards ensuring the development of this great country. We therefore solicit the cooperation and goodwill of all well meaning Nigerians to ensure peace, security and safety of lives and property. I want to use this medium to solicit for support and understanding of all, while urging you to desist from negative reporting capable of inciting people and breaching the peace. We assure all Nigerians that the NA will continue to work and collaborate with other security agencies towards ensuring peace and security of our citizens. The NA acknowledges and appreciates the vital role of the media as formidable partners in promoting peace and national development. We will continue to partner with you in this respect.

“On this note, let me express my sincere gratitude to the media for their cooperation in reporting NA activities. I urge you to give NADCEL/COSAT 2019 the desired wide coverage and publicity. I wish to also use this opportunity to call on all Nigerians to show interest and love to their own army as we strive to perform our constitutional responsibilities. I thank you for your continued support in our efforts towards the pursuit of peace, security and the progress of our fatherland.”

END