- Charges soldiers to be committed in the fight against banditry
The Chief of Army Staff (COAS) Lieutenant General Faruk Yahaya, on Wednesday urged troops deployed to the Northwest Nigeria to put an end to the banditry ravaging that region of the country.
He also cautioned troops to avoid any act of misconduct that could jeopardize ongoing operations, adding that disciplinary action will be taken against anyone found on the wrong side of the law.
General Yahaya also warned that any personnel linked with persons of questionable character will be sanctioned.
The Army Chief spoke at the commissioning of 20 blocks of accommodation for soldiers in Giginya Barracks, Sokoto, which have the capacity to accommodate 120 families.
The commissioning of the blocks is part of activities marking the COAS’ operational visit to 8 Division, Nigerian Army (NA).
Addressing soldiers at Giginya barracks parade ground, the COAS charged them to be committed in the fight against banditry, noting also, that their welfare is paramount in the agenda of his command.
He stressed that troops must show utmost commitment in carrying out their assigned tasks, to decisively put an end to banditry in the Northwest of the country.
The COAS also visited troops deployed at Forward Operating Base, Anka.in Zamfara State, where he received briefings on Operation DUKAN GUDUMA I and III, recently conducted by the sector.
He urged the troops to maintain cordial relationship with the members of their host communities, in order to elicit goodwill from them.
He equally charged them to intensify anti banditry operations to clear bandits’ enclaves within their area of operations. General Yahaya urged them not to relent in their effort to synergize with other security agencies to restore peace in their areas of deployment.
He assured troops that the NA is working towards mitigating some of the challenges debilitating the conduct of anti banditry operations. The COAS enjoined the troops to ensure proper handling and regular maintenance of their equipment, in order to prolong their life span.