From Mohammed Nasir Shuaibu BAUCHI
A Retiring Armoured Corps General, Major General Nsor Okpa Ojiji has appealed to the Minister of Defense, Mohammed Abubakar Badaru and Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lt General Taoreed Lagbaja to intensify efforts to save the Nigeria Army from its persistent challenges of inadequate fighting vehicles and other equipments with a view to improve on their operations.
Ojiji who spoke on behalf of the Ten other pulling out Armoured Corps Generals at a ceremony held Thursday at the Obienu Barracks, Bauchi, where he recalled that the armoured corps have a lot of challenges while in the service, ranging from poor accommodation to inadequate recreational and medical facilities, among others.
The Retired General therefore urged the Nigerian Army Armoured Corps (NAAC) Commander, Bauchi, Major Gen. Mohammed Ahmed to continue to seek the support of appropriate authorities, especially the Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Taoreed Lagbaja in the provision of medium scale equipment such as armoured vehicles, among others.
General Ojiji who was the reviewing officer at the pulling out parade held at the Obienu barracks said, “We are not unaware of the real challenge of the armoured corps which remain the poor equipment building, especially in the formations and units of the corps”.
He said however that, “Today, I’m happy to noted that there are many accommodation blocks which look very functional, and which alot of efforts and resources have gone in to change the est while narratives”
Ojiji described the occasion as very heart warming, hence their kodos to the Nigerian Army Armoured Commander, Major General Mohammed Ahmed and the team of his officers, the soldiers and their families, who are together determine that things should improve in the corps.
He further stated, “Our gratitude too, should also go to the Chief of Army Staff who had from time to time over the years made resources available in order to ensure these remarkable things”.
The Nigerian Army Armoured Corps (NAAC) Commander, Bauchi, Maj.-Gen. Mohammed Ahmed had earlier said that he felt grateful, satisfied and highly honored to have witnessed a day that was filled with mixed feelings and emotions of the pulling out the retired Senior officers.
“We are happy that we did what we are supposed to do. We carry out a lot of services to the community ranging from free medical services to the provision of pipe borne water among others and if they tell us their problems, we promptly attend to those problems”
The Armoured Corps Commander, explained however that there is no army in the world that has enough, and Nigerian Army has developed its capacity to the level that it can boost of its equipment adjudged to be highly maintained.
Our correspondent reports that those retiring armoured generals are Major General Nsor Okpa Ojiji; Major General MH Magaji; Major General GB Audu; Major General M Danmadami; Major General JG Mohammed; Major General UI Mohammed, others were Brigadier General A Israel, Brigadier General BA Mohammed, Brigadier General D Abdulsalam, and Brigadier General SP Akpan.
