President Muhammadu Buhari said the plan to improve the
security architecture of the country had been realised through various means
that include upgrading hardware, building facilities, training and equipping
staff and officers and structuring a welfare system that caters for more than
50,000 children of fallen heroes.
According to a statement by Femi Adesina, Special Assistant
to the President on Media and Publicity, Buhari made the declaration while
speaking at a ceremony attended by two former leaders of the country, Head of
State Gen. Yakubu Gowon and President Goodluck Jonathan.
The President said he instituted the recruitment of 60,000
soldiers into the Armed Forces, and thousands graduated from the Nigerian
Defence Academy and other security institutions to tighten security.
President Buhari presented 81 new symbolic flags to the
various units of the Nigerian Army.
“At the inception of this administration, the nation’s
security situation was greatly challenged by the activities of violent
non-state actors. Today, I am pleased to note that the problem has tremendously
improved, and I wish to proudly highlight that we have made remarkable progress
in the fight against insurgents, militants, oil bunkers, kidnappers, and other
criminal elements in the country.
“This administration has achieved a remarkable military transformation
in fighting power, training, operations, workforce, remunerations, and medical
services. These are in addition to maintenance efficiency, accommodation, and
expansion of forces. The improvements in these areas have collectively enhanced
the Army’s capacity to carry out its constitutional mandate effectively,” he
said.
President Buhari, who endorsed 81 flags for the various
units of the Army, noted that the fighting power of our military was at a low
ebb as of May 2015, adding: “However, seven years later, its fighting power has
increased significantly, making it fourth in ranking among African militaries
as against seventh in 2015.”
He said interventions and yearly budgetary allocations to
the Army, between 2020 and 2022 alone, had procured hundreds of Mine Resistant
Ambush Protected Vehicles, Troops Carrying Vehicles, utility vehicles, tanks
and Armoured Personnel Carriers to augment those earlier procured.
“From 2017 to 2022, significant numbers of new fighting and
utility vehicles, along with supporting artillery guns, machine guns, rifles,
and corresponding ammunition, were acquired and inducted into various theatres
of operations. It translates to a significant increment in the Army’s equipment
holding since 2015.
“With the significant improvement in the fighting power due
to the procurement of equipment and mission-specific training, the Army was
empowered to rejig its operations. Accordingly, the Army has restructured its
operations to meet current realities.
“The quantum of platforms inducted into the Army since 2015
had enabled troops to take the battle to the terrorists and criminals,
particularly in the North East resulting in the recapture of territories
hitherto held by the insurgents,” the President stated.
President Buhari commended the Chief of Defence Staff, Gen
Lucky Irabor, and all paramilitary organisations’ service chiefs and heads for
their commitment and selfless service to this nation.
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