ABUJA (Sundiata Post) – President Muhammadu Buhari has expressed satisfaction with the Nigerian Military handling of the ongoing operations against Boko Haram terrorists in parts of the North East and Lake Chad Basin area.
Buhari stated this while commissioning the Nigerian Army Resource Centre (NARC), at the Mambilla Barracks, in Abuja, where he charged the military to sustain the operations tempo.
The President, who was represented by the Minister of Defence, Brig-Gen. Muhammad Mansur Dan-Ali (rtd), stressed that the military policy thrust of his administration was the enhancement of capacity of the armed forces towards maximum operational achievements.
To this end, he assured of his preparedness to provide the conducive environment that will enable the Nigerian military to perform effectively, optimally and rank amongst the best in the world.
He said: “We will continue to provide the much needed support to the Armed Forces for efficient service delivery and effective discharge of your responsibilities.
“I commend the commitment and zeal of the leadership of the Armed Forces in tackling security issues across the country. I also applaud the successes of the Armed Forces in the counter insurgency operations in the North East and urge you to sustain the tempo.”
In the same vein, Buhari commended the Nigerian Army for the establishment of the Resource Centre, which was formerly known as Nigerian Army Museum and was upgraded under the Civil Military Department of the Nigerian Army.
According to him, there is enormous benefits inherent in the establishment of the Centre, which would serve as a think tank to provide solution to the problems of the Nigerian military.
“I have been rightly informed that the Centre was established to serve as a think thank to proffer solutions to identified problems through research and brainstorming that would lead to robust strategies to propel the Nigerian Army forward. The wisdom and noble initiative behind the establishment of this Centre by the Chief of Army Staff is quite commendable and legendary,” he said.
The President also expressed “hope that the Centre will be put to optimal utilization towards enhancing the intellectual capacity of Nigerian Army personnel”.
“It is also my firm belief that the Centre will be effectively employed to chart the way forward towards addressing contemporary security issues. This would no doubt reposition the Nigerian Army to confront contemporary challenges in line with international best practices,” he stressed.
Earlier, the Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lt.-Gen. Tukur Buratai, revealed that the vision behind the establishment of the resource centre was anchored on the need to optimize the capability of the Army.
Buratai noted that contemporary security challenges in the country and around its borders had stretched the Armed Forces close to its limits.
He, however, emphasised on the need to optimise the capability of the Army to meet emerging security challenges.
He said: “The Nigerian Army Resource Centre is a vision that is anchored on the need to ensure that the Army does not only participate in the ground battle but indeed under all terrain to ensure that our adversaries are defeated wherever they are.
“As you are aware, Nigeria faces sundry security challenges but our main focus has been in counter-insurgency operations in the North East.”
“The Nigerian Army has been involved in operations to check militancy, pipeline vandalism, armed robbery, cattle rustling and inter-ethnic clashes among others.
“These myriad of security challenges have stretched us close to our limits,’’ he remarked.
Speaking further, the Army Chief assured Nigerians of the Army’s readiness in conjunction with sister agencies to rid the country of criminal elements operating in the guise of militants, terrorists and others.
He said that the Centre would assemble intellectuals to look at contemporary issues that would shape the Nigerian Army.
The NARC comprises the main building, which houses about 30 offices and conference rooms, with a Gallery, where monuments and artifacts of the Nigerian Army are showcased; and a extension that has about 13 offices with a reception.