COAS: Teaching Sign Languages to Officers, Soldiers Improved War against Insecurity

Hammed Shittu in Ilorin

The Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lt. Gen. Taoreed Lagbaja, yesterday disclosed that the recent introduction of the teaching of sign languages to the officers and soldiers of the Nigerian Army would significantly improved the war against insecurity in the country.

Lagbaja, however, charged stakeholders in the education sector to always feel free to offer useful suggestions that could assist in dealing with contemporary security issues in the country.

He stated this in Ilorin, Kwara State capital, during the opening ceremony of the 2023 Nigerian Army Education Corps (NAEC) combined 3rd and 4th quarter conference.

The programme, which was held at the Nigerian Army Institute of Science Education and Technology, Sobi Cantonment, Ilorin, with the theme “Consolidating the NAEC Transformation Process in Support of the COAS Command Philosophy.”

According to Lagbaja, “education is very important in the activities of the Nigeria army to transform into a well-trained, equipped and highly motivational force towards achieving its constitutional responsibilities within a joint environment.”

He said that the “introduction of the teaching of sign languages to personnel of the Nigeria Army by the centre is an innovation that will improve their operations across the country.

“We have the deaf and dumb who see a lot of things and have information they may want to convey but for their condition and the lack of communication and understanding between them and our troops.

“They might even be mistaken as part of the criminal elements. But by this innovation bringing about the teaching of sign languages in the Nigerian Army will enable the personnel to be able to communicate and extract information from them.

“This is a good innovation that will improve our operations across the country.”

 Lagbaja was represented by the GOC, 2nd Division Nigeria Army Ibadan, Major General Babatunde Ali Alabi.

In his remark, the Corps Commander, Nigerian Army Education Corps, Major General Bello Tsoho, said that concerted efforts at repositioning the corps have been making steady progress with modest achievements recorded so far.

He said: “The NAEC has in recent aligned itself with the operational concept of the NA with deliberate efforts to train personnel to add value to the ongoing operations.”