Continue to cooperate with armed forces, pray for Buhari — Defence Minister

The Minister of Defence, Brig.-Gen. Mansur Dan-Ali (rtd.), has urged Nigerians to continue to cooperate with the armed forces and pray for the quick recovery and safe return of President Muhammadu Buhari from London where he is on medical vacation.



He made the admonition yesterday at Ubima, the hometown of the Transportation Minister, Rotimi Amaechi, in the Ikwerre Local Government Area of Rivers State, during the inauguration of Course One for 15 pioneer officers drawn from the Navy, Air Force and Army, at the new Naval War College, Nigeria (NWCN).

The inauguration was also attended by the Chief of Defence Staff, Gen. Abayomi Olonisakin; the Chief of Naval Staff (CNS), Vice-Admiral Ibok Ete Ekwe Ibas; the Deputy Governor of Bayelsa State, Rear Admiral Gboribiogha John Jonah (rtd.); the Secretary to the Rivers State Government (SSG), Chief Kenneth Kobani; and the Commandant of NWCN, Rear Admiral Thaddeus Udofia, among other eminent personalities.

Dan-Ali said: “It is important to stress that success in this environment requires much more than tactical competence. It requires judicious and decentralised employment of competence at all levels: tactically, operationally and strategically. The key enabler of decentralised employment is knowledge.

“The college is programmed to emphasise intellectual development and academic excellence. It has been tasked with the mission to develop senior naval leaders and equivalents from other services as operational level commanders, with thorough appreciation of complex national security problems, who are prepared to make sound decisions in the application of maritime force as a policy option.

“We owe the Nigeria Armed Forces and the nation a lot. I call on all Nigerians to continue to cooperate with the Armed Forces, so that they will discharge their constitutional roles effectively.”

The minister also admonished the 15 pioneer military officers, who are benefiting from the special training, not to miss the significance of stepping into another realm, in the efforts to keep with the traditions and vision first established by the founding fathers. The CNS, in his remarks, stated that the course would enhance the operational competence and professionalism of the benefiting officers, while urging them to put in their best, to justify the confidence reposed in them.

Commandant of NWCN, in his welcome address, noted that the inauguration marked the commencement of academic and training programmes in the war college, pointing out that the journey ahead of the participants would be tasking and demanding, in the next six months, while urging them to continue to work hard.