Army prepared to rid Nigeria of criminals, CDS assures Reps

The House of Representatives has commended Nigeria’s Chief of Defence Staff, General Christopher Musa, and other security agencies on the proactive efforts put in place to checkmate activities of terrorists across the country.

This is just as the CDS said his men are battle-ready to make the country too hot for criminal elements in the country.

The Chairman, House Committee on Safety Standards and Regulations, Sulaiman Abubakar Gumi, gave the commendation on Tuesday evening in Abuja during the fact-finding meeting held with the CDS aimed at “thoroughly examining the root causes of these unfortunate incidences and identify effective remedies to prevent their reoccurrence in the future.”

While commending the men and officers of the Nigerian Army for the sustained war against insurgency and terrorism, a member of the House, Suleiman Gumi lauded the “unwavering dedication and tireless efforts of the Nigerian Army in safeguarding the territorial integrity of our beloved nation.”

He said, “Their commitment to defending our borders both externally and internally ensures that we can sleep soundly at night, knowing that our safety and security are being firmly protected.

“In the face of numerous challenges and threats, both foreign and domestic, our brave soldiers stand steadfast on the frontline, risking their lives to preserve the peace and stability of our nation.

“From combating insurgency and terrorism to maintaining law and order in the case of civil unrest, the Nigerian Army has consistently demonstrated unwavering resolve to uphold the sovereignty and dignity of our nation.

“Their resilience in the face of adversity serves as a beacon of hope and aspirations to us all.

“The loss of innocent lives is a cause of concern and urgency that demands our collective attention and action. It is imperative that we thoroughly examine the root causes of these unfortunate incidences and identify effective remedies to prevent their reoccurrence in the future.

“During our meeting today (Tuesday), we will engage in a comprehensive review of the operational procedures and protocols employed by the Nigerian Army in conducting drone operations, with a particular focus on enhancing safety measures to minimizing the risk of unfriendly fire and civilian casualties.”

In his presentation, the CDS explained that the Defence headquarters has put in place a “robust standard of operations that ensures safety of not just its personnel but civilians during operations.

“We are gaining successes here and there, but the challenges still continue. We will continue to dedicate ourselves to the security of this country, to ensure that we rid this country of criminal elements so that we can make progress in all our activities.

“I must, on behalf of the Armed Forces, express our sincere regrets on the unfortunate incident in Kaduna State. I also ask the Almighty to forgive the shortcomings of those who lost their lives there.

“I want to assure the House that the Armed Forces is a professional Armed Forces, a professional body, and in the course of our discussion, we will come to that.

“We do have rules and regulations that guide all our operations, and from time to time, we try to pass these rules and regulations through teachings and sometimes workshops to incorporate us.

“It’s unfortunate again over what happened. The CDS has directed that all necessary steps are taken to ensure that such an incident does not happen in the future.”