*Says army has bled, piled up wounded in action, number of widows, widowers swells
The Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Major General Taoreed Lagbaja, has enjoined troops of the Nigerian Army to complement their military effort with prayers for the success of the Army in its operational engagements and the corporate existence of Nigeria, as one indivisible entity amid contemporary security challenges bedeviling the nation.
The army chief made the clarion call yesterday at the interdenominational church service marking the Nigerian Army Day Celebration (NADCEL) 2023 held at the Mogadishu Military Cantonment, Abuja.
The army had last week commenced the commemoration of its 160th year of establishment since 1867, when 18 men known as the Glover Hausas of the Royal Navy were organised into a formidable force.
General Lagbaja stated that the army remained the pride of the nation and a force to reckon with in Africa and the world.
He noted that the interdenominational service was among the series of activities earmarked for all army formations and units to commemorate its establishment as a symbol of national unity and integration.
The Army chief said the occasion also provided the opportunity for prayers and supplications to be made to God Almighty on behalf of the Nigerian Army, the Armed Forces of Nigeria and the nation in general.
“As we mark our 160th year, I must confess that our journey has not been a bed of roses, as the Nigerian Army, in the course of holding our nation together, has fought a civil war, participated in peacekeeping cum peace enforcement missions and is currently involved in combating terrorism, insurgency and other criminalities across the country,” the army chief said.
General Lagbaja reiterated that the various engagements of the army within and outside the shores of Nigeria resulted in the loss of loved ones and breadwinners.
“We have bled, we have piled up the wounded in action, and the population of our widows and widowers as well as orphans has swelled. Our sacrifices are for the love of God, humanity and country,” he stated.
He, therefore, urged all army personnel to reflect on the security challenges and include them in their prayers, believing that God Almighty would crown the efforts of the army and the Armed Forces of Nigeria with success.
The COAS charged all personnel to continue to do their best to reciprocate government’s gesture by remaining loyal, disciplined, patriotic and undaunting, as they combat security challenges in the various theatres of operations.
He pledged more commitment to troops’ welfare and wellbeing under his command.
