Periodic Review Needed To Curtail Insecurity In  North West –  COAS

By Ayodele Oni

The Chief of Army Staff, (COAS), Lt Gen Taoreed Lagbaja has assured that the Nigerian Army will continue to review its operations to be able to reinvigorate ongoing operations against non-state actors.

He was speaking at the opening of a three-day Retreat for Past and Present Commanders of Nigerian Army Operations in North West, on Monday in Abuja.

The retreat with the theme, “Reappraising the Nigerian Army’s Approach to Tackling Insecurity in the North West,” was held at the Nigerian Army Resource Centre (NARC) Abuja.

The COAS, represented by the Chief of Operations, Maj.-Gen. Benson Sinjen, pointed out that the security situation in the North West was made complex by activities of non-state actors who engage in banditry, kidnappings, cattle rustling, illegal mining and violent attacks on innocent citizens.

These activities, he said had led to destruction of lives, properties and means of livelihoods.

According to him, activities of these non-state actors have continued to impact the security environment across the country, in spite of unrelenting efforts to curb the trend by the army, sister services and other security agencies.

The COAS maintained that surmounting insecurity in the North West region needed periodic review of the situation with a view to truly understand the generality and specifics for seamless planning and executing of operations.

The threats, according to him, are always fluid and evolving, thus requiring them to quickly adapt to be at least a step ahead of the adversary.

Lagbaja assured that the retreat would provide opportunity for operational and tactical level commanders to be step away from their normal routines in the field and theatres of operations.

He added that the retreat would allow time for introspection, which will not only stimulate new perspectives and creative thinking, but also facilitate problem solving.

“It will also provide a veritable opportunity for reviewing our efforts at appropriate levels and boosting troops’ morale.

“The retreat will also give impetus to operational efficiency in the pursuit of the pillars of Nigerian Army Mission Statement and my Command Philosophy,” he said.

The Director General, NARC, retired Maj.-Gen. Garba Wahab, said that any operation that lasts beyond six months was subject to a review or after action review, adding that the North West operation had lasted for years.

Wahab pointed out that there was a need to bring both the past and present commanders of the operations to come together to proffer strong and profound solutions to the issue of operations, administration, logistics and intelligence collaboration.