By LAYI OLANREWAJU, Ilorin
.
The Chief of Army Staff (COAS),
Lieutenant General Azubuike Ihejirika
yesterday put the number of people so far killed by the Boko Haram at 3,000.
He lamented that the activities of the
sect had adversely taken economic and psychological tolls on the people and business in the northern part of the country.
The chief of army staff spoke yesterday in Ilorin, the Kwara state capital while declaring open the third inter-division and headquarters map reading competition organized by the Nigerian Army Education Corps (NAEC). General Ihejirika who was represented by the General Officer, Commanding 2 Division of the Nigerian Army, Major Mohammed Abubakar added that the current security challenges in the country required collective and extra efforts to tackle.
His words: “The changing nature of
threats to Nigeria’s national security
environment has manifested in the
militancy, kidnapping, violent
extremism and terrorism. It is a known fact that terrorism worldwide is
characterized by extremism, violence,
hatred, lack of respect for human
dignity and constituted authority.
“The spate of bombings in parts of the North has necessitated the Nigerian Army to review its doctrine, with a view to updating our training and operational procedures to fulfill our constitutional mandate. Success in this pursuit, therefore calls for renewed and concerted efforts and initiative.
“I therefore urge all of us to remain
resilient to be able to overcome the
miscreants and terrorist attacks on our psyche and our beloved country
through conscientious effort for the
country to make good progress. It is in this line, that I commend the
determination of NAEC to write and
publish a book on ‘terrorism.’ “This will no doubt positively contribute to our determination to fight the present
security challenges.
The book will also serve as a reference
material for researchers on Nigerian
Army viewpoint and strategy against
domestic terrorism.” Earlier, the Corps
Commander, NAEC, Major-General
Lucky Banjiram said the current
security challenges in the country had
continued to undermine national
security. He added that the challenges had thereby placed strains and demands on the Nigerian Army’s
resources. He said: “It becomes
necessary therefore to re-emphasise
the need for training and retraining of
army personnel. The competition is
NAEC’s effort towards the training of its personnel and the creation of a pool of instructors in map reading for the Nigerian Army”
LINK:
www.sunnewsonline.com/new/cover/sect-has-killed-3000-army-chief/