31st March, 2017
President Muhammadu Buhari said on Friday that the undivided attention of the Army would be required to handle various security challenges faced by the nation.
Talking at the end of the 2017 Nigerian Army Small Arms Championship at Sambisa, the president challenged troops to utilize the abilities gained in the competition to enhance their execution.
Spoken to by Gen. Gabriel Olonisakin, the Chief of Defense of Staff,Buhari, stated: “Remember security challenges abound in our country that will continue to require the attention of the Nigerian army and indeed the Armed Forces of Nigeria.
“I therefore urge you not to rest on your oars but harness the skills which you have used this competition to sharpen for improved performance,’’ he said.
The president said holding the activity in Sambisa demonstrated that commonality had come back to Borno, and without a doubt the North-East.
In the interim, the Chief of Army Staff, Lt.- Gen. Tukur Buratai has coordinated the Theater Commander, Operation Lafiya Dole, to redirect remainders of Boko Haram militants from their hiding spots in the “following couple of weeks.”
“I want to give the final task to the Theatre Commander, Maj.-Gen. Lucky Irabor, to within the next few weeks flush out these criminals once and for all from their hiding places in this area and indeed in the whole North-East,’’ Buratai said.
“This is a task we much accomplish,’’ he said.
The chief of army staff said troops would keep on dominating the forest with the fall of Camp Zero, the last solid hold of the Boko Haram, and promised that the terrorists would never be allowed to re-take the area.
Buratai said that to guarantee this, exercises including training, would continue to be held in the forest.
He likewise directed the Commandant, Nigeria Defense Academy (NDA), to guarantee that from this time forward, definite activities of going out cadets were held in the forest.
Nine Divisions of the Nigerian armed force, 1,2,3,6, 7, 8, 81, 82 and Army Headquarters Garrison participated in the activity.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that 7 Division, Maiduguri, emerged the winners of the title, 82 Div., Enugu, came second, while Army base camp Garrison took the third position.
Aside from trophies, they were compensated by the head of armed force with N2 million, N1.5 million and N1 million in their specific order.
Ten members partook in the shooting rivalry including: AK47 riffle, FN riffle, gun and female Ak47 shooting.
All the Service Chiefs, representative of the Inspector-General of Police and Defense Attaches of various countries in Nigeria attended the ceremony which also featured display of “fire power’’ by the army and Air Force.