The Nigerian government Tuesday admitted the inadequate funding of the Army operations in the insurgency fight, even as it urged troops to change tactics in tackling all forms of security challenges bedevilling the nation.
President Muhammadu Buhari stated this at the grand finale of Nigerian Army Day Celebration (NADCEL) in Abuja.
Represented by Minister of Defence Major-General Bashir Salihi Magashi (retd), the president lauded the Army for saving the nation from disintegration.
He said: “I salute the courageous and gallant exploits of the personnel of the Nigerian Army. I am highly impressed with the conduct of operations that flushed out the terrorists and criminals from their strongholds.
“You have saved Nigeria from disintegration and have demonstrated a high sense of professionalism in your operations. I want to assure you that this Government and indeed the Nigerian People deeply appreciate your noble sacrifices to safeguard our nation.
“I want to assure you of my government’s commitment to your welfare. We will continue to provide you with the needed support to enhance your welfare. In the same vein, I am aware of the challenges confronting the Nigerian Army such as inadequate equipment and insufficient funds for maintenance and training as well as other logistics constraints affecting your operational efficiency. As you may be aware, my government has put in place a mechanism that would address these problems in phases albeit in the face of other competing national demands.”
The president said: “I charge the officers and men of the Nigerian Army to be proactive in evolving new strategies, methods and techniques of winning the hearts and minds in the current phase of operations.”
While commending the Army for restoring the internal security of the country back to normal, he said “government services and private businesses have since resumed in areas hitherto controlled by these terrorists.
“Therefore, as we celebrate the achievements of the Nigerian Army and all security agencies, I would like to thank all well-meaning Nigerians for their support and understanding.”
Buhari also assured Nigerians that the security challenges confronting the nation would soon be a thing of the past.
“This government appreciates and commends recent efforts by individuals, community members, traditional leaders and numerous civil society organisations especially the youths that are cooperating and supporting the security agencies in exposing all agents of destruction and instability in our polity.
“As a responsible government, we are conscious of the challenges being faced by the citizenry. I would like to assure you that these would be resolved in the shortest possible time,” he said.
Speaking earlier, the Chief of Army Staff, Major-General Faruk Yahaya, said NADCEL presented opportunity for the NA to also deliberate on its future by fine-tuning and redirecting its efforts to remain in perfect harmony with its constitutional responsibility of defending the territorial integrity of Nigeria and its Constitution.
Yahaya said since assuming command, he had repositioned the Army to tackle security challenges confronting the nation.
“For the past one month or thereabout, the Nigerian Army has been repositioning itself, as an Army ready to accomplish assigned missions within a joint environment in the defence of our dear nation.
“It is through our concerted efforts that the activities of insurgents, terrorists’ secessionists and other violent criminal elements that threatened the very corporate existence of this country have been greatly reduced.”
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