Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lieutenant General Olufemi Oluyede, on Tuesday paid his maiden visit to Headquarters 35 Artillery Brigade, Alamala Barracks Abeokuta, Ogun State, charging the troops to invigorate their operations in defence of Nigeria.
According to a statement on the visit by Army Spokesperson, Major General Onyema Nwachukwu, General Oluyede explained that without a safe and secure environment, there could never be any meaningful national development.
The COAS reiterated his “soldier-first” mantra, stressing that under his watch, soldiers would come first, and their welfare would be accorded priority.
Urging them to endeavor to access the Nigerian Army Soft Loan Scheme, General Oluyede noted that it has an unrivaled low interest rate of only 3 percent and is meant to economically empower troops’ families for improved living standards.
He therefore appreciated the troops for their sacrifices in the effort to secure the country.
The full statement reads: “In continuation of his working tour of Nigerian Army (NA) formations and units, the Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lieutenant General Olufemi Oluyede has paid a maiden visit to the Headquarters 35 Artillery Brigade, Alamala Barracks Abeokuta, Ogun State on Tuesday 25 February 2025. On arrival, the COAS was immediately briefed on the security situation of Ogun and the contiguous states, as well as the operations activities of the Brigade by the Commander Brigadier General Godwin Nwamba.
“Addressing the troops, the Army Chief stated that he was in the Brigade to evaluate the well-being of the troops and the Brigade’s operations activities. He clarified that he had received a thorough briefing on the challenges confronting the Brigade and assured that they will receive due attention in order of priority. General Oluyede also disclosed that he was in Abeokuta to tell the troops what he expects from them as professional soldiers of the Nigerian Army.
“The COAS charged the troops to invigorate their operations in defence of Nigeria. He explained that without a safe and secure environment, there could never be any meaningful national development.
“Gen Oluyede reiterated his “soldier-first” mantra, stressing that under his watch, soldiers would come first, and their welfare would be accorded priority. He urged them to endeavor to access the NA soft Loan Scheme, which he said has an unrivaled low interest rate of only 3 percent to economically empower their families for improved living standards. He appreciated the troops for their sacrifices in the effort to secure the country.
“The COAS later inspected the state of facilities in the Barracks and visited the Momas-Epail Military Industrial Complex, where he was taken on an inspection tour of military hardwares produced in the complex.
“Accompanying the COAS were the Commander Training and Doctrine Command Maj Gen Kevin Aligbe, Principal Staff officers from the Army Headquarters and the General Officer Commanding 81 Division Maj Gen Farouk Mijinyawa.”
