The Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), Gen. Gabriel Olonisakin, on Monday, said the Nigerian military was re-organising to combat the current security challenges across the country.
Olonisakin stated this at the Nigerian Army Day Celebration (NADCEL) and Combat Support Arms Training Week (COSAT) seminar in Lagos.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the theme of the training is “Enhancing the Efficiency of the Combat Support Arm, In Tackling Contemporary Security Challenges.’’
Olonisakin said that experiences in the North-East and other prevailing security challenges in the country underscored the need for capacity-building through constant detective training.
“The Nigerian Army has continued to demonstrate its determination to secure the territorial integrity of our dear nation from both internal and external threat.
“The combat support arm consisting of the artillery, engineers, signals and intelligence will always have a role to play in support of the combat arms of the Nigerian army towards achieving its mandate.
“In reality, the increase efficiency is an operation enhancer and force multiplier for any army.
“The combat support arm training week is therefore an avenue to boost professionalism as participants brainstorm and strategise to better support the combat arm in combating emerging security challenges in Nigeria,’’ he said.
Olonisakin assured everyone that the military was in a better position to totally end the insurgency in the North-East and other criminal activities across the nation.
“This can only be achieved through synergy and cooperation of all the services, security agencies as well as other stakeholders.
“Our discussion comes at a time when the Armed Forces of Nigeria is re-organising to better tackle current challenges, and to curb future threats in line with our role as enshrined in the Constitution.
“Our contemporary security challenges are characterised by more stage actors, who exhibit deep intolerance for peaceful coexistence with other members of the public based on narrow ideologies and in some instances, outright criminal intent,’’ he said.
He said that it was therefore vital that the army to lead efforts in crushing such elements so that the nation may be safe and secure.
“To consolidate all the successes against the insurgents, these building efforts must continually concentrate on addressing the drivers of the challenges in the force space,’’ the defence chief said.
Earlier, the Chief of the Army Staff (COAS), Lt.-Gen. Tukur Buratai, had said that the security challenges were manifesting in new and ambiguous forms, and requiring more “agility, flexibility, ingenuity and an uncanny ability to think outside the box.’’
He said that the army must continue to strive to be self-reliant in battle space technological options and reduce importation of military hardware in the long term.
The COAS said that the fight against insurgency had progressed to the stabilisation phase where all efforts were geared towards ensuring that displaced persons returned to their traditional homes.
Commending the Combat Support Arms in the war against terrorism in North-East, he said that the artillery had effectively acquired, located and engaged ground targets.
He added that the air defence had also continued to prevent hostile aerial interference with land operations.
“The engineers have equally assisted the army to live, move and fight especially in the areas of Counter Improvised Explosive Device (CIED) and force protection.
“Additionally, the Signals Corps has provided communications and electronic warfare support for effective command and control during our operations.
“While the Nigerian Army Intelligence Corps (NAIC) has assisted in producing actionable intelligence for ongoing operations around the country, we must continue to be self-reliant in battle space technological options and reduce importation of military hardware,’’ Buratai said.
