Army Urges Troops to Sustain Momentum in Fight Against Bandits

The General Officer Commanding (GOC) 1 Division, Nigerian Army, Maj.-Gen. Abubakar Wase, has charged troops to maintain the tempo in ongoing operations aimed at denying bandits freedom of action in the division’s area of responsibility.

This was contained in a statement issued on Wednesday in Kaduna by the Acting Deputy Director, Army Public Relations, 1 Division, Lt.-Col. Shuaib Umar.

Maj.-Gen. Wase, who also serves as Commander, Sector 1 Joint Task Force, North West Operation Hadarin Daji, gave the charge on Tuesday during a visit to troops of the 31 Artillery Brigade at Minna Military Cantonment, Niger State.

He commended the soldiers for their resilience and discipline in restoring peace, particularly in Niger State, and urged them to remain professional, ensure force protection, and uphold the Chief of Army Staff’s “Soldier First” concept.

The GOC reiterated the Nigerian Army’s commitment to restoring normalcy in the North West to boost agricultural activities and other businesses in line with the Federal Government’s food security agenda.

He also directed unit commanders to prioritise the welfare of troops, stressing that it remains one of the cardinal pillars of the Army leadership’s command philosophy.

During his visit, Wase was received and briefed by the Commander, 31 Artillery Brigade, Brig.-Gen. M.U. Jibo. He also participated in a tree-planting exercise, toured the 313 Artillery Regiment Hall of Fame, and inspected the Troops Training Area.

The GOC further visited the Training and Doctrine Command (TRADOC), where he was received by the Chief of Doctrine and Combat Development, Maj.-Gen. J.A.L. Jimoh, on behalf of the Commander, Maj.-Gen. Kevin Aligbe.

In addition, he paid courtesy calls on former Military President, Gen. Ibrahim Babangida, the Emir of Minna, Alhaji Umar Bahago, and the Niger State Government, where he was received by Deputy Governor Yakubu Garba on behalf of Governor Mohammed Umar Bago.