By Stanley Nwanosike
ENUGU – Maj.-Gen. Taoreed Lagbaja, the General Officer Commanding (GOC) 82 Division, Nigerian Army, Enugu says the division will continue to train and retrain its soldiers and officers.
Lagbaja made the promise at the closing ceremony of Inter-Brigade Corporals and Below Competition, 2021, held at Abakpa Military Cantonment on Friday in Enugu.
He said that the event provided a platform for training and achieving proficiency among the participants.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that 13 Brigade, Calabar came first to lift the trophy, followed by 82 Division Garrison, Enugu which came second.
The 44 Engineers/54 Signal Brigade, Enugu came third, while 14 Brigade, Ohafia came fourth and went home with the big wooden spoon.
The GOC commended the Chief of Army Staff, Lt.-Gen. Ibrahim Attahiru, for providing the resources for the competition and seeing to its overall success.
He said the competition captured the COAS vision to have “a Nigerian army that is repositioned to professionally defeat all adversaries in a joint environment.’’
Lagbaja said the competition fostered team work and better esprit-de-corps among the various ranks of corporals and below within the division.
“The training, coming in form of the competition, is what the division will continue to offer its soldiers and officers to ensure combat and deployment readiness.
“The areas of weaknesses we have noticed will be strengthened and areas of strength will be further improved upon.
“I thank the judges as well as the 82 Division Garrison Commander, the chairman of the local organising committee, for a hitch-free and satisfactory event,’’ Lagbaja said.
NAN reports that the competition featured six events, including weapon handling, obstacle crossing, half cross-country relay race, navigation (map reading) as well as drill and combat swimming.
Cpl. Afolabi Atunbi received certificate for being the best brigade drill commander, while Lance Cpl. Austin Orji and Cpl. Patience John, received certificates for emerging best runner and best in weapon handling, respectively. (NAN)
