Nigeria’s Chief of Army Staff Lieutenant General Tukur Buratai has presented his new vision for the army saying that the country needs a professional crop of soldiers that is mobile and ready at all times to defend the territorial integrity of the country.
The Chief of Army Staff while unveiling his vision in Maiduguri Borno state, added that ‘even as a young military officer days back, I have always looked for when some basic reforms could be carried out to reform the Nigerian Army’ .
According to VON, he further explained that he needed an army that “will operate in all environments in the desert, the creeks, mountains water and any other difficult terrain”.
The Strategy
“The strategy for realising this vision is to provide welfare and equipment and kit the soldiers properly”, he explained.
General Buratai said he required officers and men of the Nigerian army to do things the proper way, adding that “to do things the proper way, they ought to be done very well, be responsive to situations and above all, the army must reform itself”.
General Buratai told the officers and men that the new vision will not be realised if there is“low morale among officers and soldiers due largely to lack of accommodation, lack of equipment, lack of training, soldering is devoid of eye service”.
He said there were flash points in the country that pose serious security challenges in the country. “These hot spots are north east of Nigeria where boko haram is posing problems, the Niger delta area where militants still pose problems and the central and north western part of the country where civil conflicts occur regularly”.
The army boss singled out Regimental, Sergeant and Majors who must ensure strict adherence to military traditions, discipline and be very proactive.
The chief of army staff has been holding one- on-one discussion with officers and men of the Nigerian Army. According to him, the idea is to take everyone along as this vision takes effect.
Posted by Janice Johnson
