Lt General Tukur Buratai: Chief of Army Staff

The Chief of Army Staff, Lt.-Gen. Tukur Buratai said the various training exercises conducted by the Nigerian Army in 2016 helped to curb criminality and other nefarious activities during the period.

Buratai made the remark on Saturday at the West African Social Activities – WASA organized by the Army Headquarters Garrison at the Mogadishu Cantonment in the FCT.

He said the climax of those exercises and operations was the “Operation Rescue Finale” in the North East.

According to Buratai, that operation led to the fall of Sambisa forest and capture of Camp Zero, the last stronghold of the terrorists in the forest.

“As we commence another training cycle, I urge you all to remain committed in the discharge of our collective responsibility of ensuring peace and stability across the country.

“We must remain focused, dedicated and resilient in order to consolidate on the achievement so far recorded, ” he said.

Also speaking, the FCT Minister, Alhaji Mohammed Bello, who was the special guest at the occasion described the army as “one of the pillars which continue to give hope to the citizens in our collective aspirations to be a stable, peaceful and developed country. ”

Bello noted that in spite of internal security challenges, the commitment of the army to regional and international peace and stability remained unshakable.

“I salute the courage and gallantry exploits of the personnel of the Nigerian army, ” he said.

Earlier, the Commander of the Garrison, Maj.-Gen. John Malu recalled that WASA was usually observed by the army to mark the end of each training year.

Malu said that it was introduced during the colonial era of the “Royal West African Frontier Forces (RWAFF)” to take officers and soldiers away from their regimented life to an atmosphere where they relax freely.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the event featured various cultural display by soldiers, reflecting the Nigerian setting.

(NAN)