Chief of Army Staff, Oluyede, Orders Troops to Take Fight to Terrorists, Bandits’ Enclaves

Linus Aleke in Abuja

The Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lieutenant General Olufemi Oluyede, has ordered troops of the 402 Special Forces (SF) Brigade, to take the counterterrorism fight and anti-banditry operations to the door steps of the criminal syndicates terrorising residents within their operational area of responsibility.

Oluyede gave this order during his operational visit to the 402 SF Brigade Headquarters, Kaduna, in the early hours yesterday.

A statement by the Director, Army Public Relations, Major General Onyema Nwachukwu, said the COAS also applauded the troops for their laudable performance in ensuring the safety of the Kaduna-Abuja road and rail corridor.

He said Oluyede, who was welcomed with a well-turned-out Quarter Guard in his honour received a detailed brief on the operational activities and challenges of the brigade.

Addressing the troops, the COAS charged them to confidently project offensives against all terrorists, insurgents, and criminal elements within their Area of Operational Responsibility.

The COAS acknowledged the challenges confronting the troops and pledged to resolve them expeditiously.

He reaffirmed his commitment to improving troops’ welfare by ensuring that every Nigerian soldier was well-catered toand properly accommodated.

The army chief charged the officers of the brigade to be exemplary by courageously leading their troops to surmount the security challenges in their area of operational responsibility.

He commended the troops of the Brigade for the operational successes so far recorded and charged them to sustain the momentum, adding, that the fact that every unit and formation needed the services of the SF Brigade was a testament to their exceptional performance.

Nwachukwu said the visit was in furtherance of the COAS’ commitment to boosting the morale of  troops and ensuring their effectiveness in combating security challenges in defence of the country.