We’ll Continue to Respond to Security Threats Professionally – CoAS
From ERIC MOORE, Port Harcourt
Chief of Army Staff (CoAS), Lieutenant General Taoreed Lagbaja, has said the Nigerian Army will continue to demonstrate professionalism in responding to security threats across the country.
He spoke at the closing ceremony of Second Commanding Officers (SCOs) Workshop 6 Division, Nigerian Army, Port Harcourt, Rivers State on Thursday.
The CoAS assured that the Nigerian Army will continue to secure the Niger Delta and other parts of the country in line with the rules of engagement and constitution.
Lieutenant General Lagbaja said: “The Army will continue to respond to all security threats in accordance with laid down constitutional provision and the procedure in our book. The soldiers will respond in line with our code of conduct and rules of engagement.
“And so, for all threats to security, the Army will respond appropriately for people who are carrying military weapons openly. So, the troops will respond with force to protect law-abiding citizens and to secure their own lives.”
On the recent killing of some soldiers in the South-East, the Chief of Army Staff declared that Nigerian troops would continue to operate to ensure peace in that part of the country.
“So, what has happened with the attacks on the troops in the past, I believe it is a worn off thing. But, the troops will continue to operate within this environment to ensure that peace is sustained.”
In his assessment of the three-day workshop for the Commanding Officers (SCOs) and performance of troops in the South-South, Lagbaja commended them for reducing security challenges abysmally.
He lauded the stakeholders, including state governments and individuals, in the region for supporting the military with logistics and credible information in curbing the criminal activities.
Lagbaja continued: Since yesterday and this morning, we have been engaged in a tough formations and units of the Nigerian Army, under the 6 Division area of responsibility (AOR).
“Yesterday, I was in Uyo, which is the 2 Brigade area of responsibility (AOR); and today, I am in Port Harcourt. And my experience is that the security situation in this area of responsibility is generally at the low ebb. All thanks to the works that our troops are doing and the support of the stakeholders, especially the government at the sub national level and other critical stakeholders in our society.
“So, I want to thank the stakeholders for their support through our troops, in terms of provision of information and other support from the state governments, for providing the enabling environment through the provision of logistics support and some other enablers for our troops to function effectively.
“And I want to assure them that our troops will continue to work, to ensure that the security situation is improved upon to achieve the objective of overall economic development and even pushing to other frontiers across the country.”