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Tag: COAS

  • Troops’ welfare our priority — COAS

    Troops’ welfare our priority — COAS

    LAGOS — THE Chief of Army Staff, COAS, Lt. Gen. Olufemi Oluyede, yesterday, announced an increment for troops’ daily Ration Cash Allowance, RCA, saying the the welfare of soldiers was a priority to the Army.

    The increment will see troops receive N3,000 monthly as Ration Cash Allowance as against N1,500.

    He also disclosed a three per cent interest loan for soldiers, to enable them to undertake projects.

    The COAS, who addressed officers and soldiers of the 81 Division of the Nigerian Army at the 9 Brigade parade ground, Ikeja Cantonment, Lagos, expressed disappointment that troops were still receiving as little as N1,500.

    Lt. Gen. Oluyede, who was in Lagos on an inspection tour of project sites of the 81 Division of the Nigerian Army, said the increment would begin at the end of March.

    He said: “We have deliberately kept our rate low to make it accessible. More funds will be injected into the scheme, so if you have pressing financial needs, you are encouraged to apply. It comes with just a 3% interest rate. If you go to banks, the lowest interest rate you will find is around 25%.

    “However, I want to advise that if you do not truly need it, or if you are not in urgent need, it is best not to take it. But it is available to you, it is your right, and you can apply for it at any time. Once approved, you will receive it as quickly as possible.”

    On the welfare of soldiers, he said: “I am going to build on what my predecessors have done in improving the welfare of our personnel. In December, under the Nigerian Army Housing Scheme, we unveiled the first set of houses in Abuja. And as I speak, we are beginning a new set in Ibadan, Oyo State.

    “We have also secured land for another set in Jos, Plateau State. Additionally, we are developing housing units in Port Harcourt, Rivers, Owerri, Imo and Akwa Ibom State. This will ensure a widespread distribution of houses that soldiers can subscribe to.”

    We are accelerating the process so that more personnel can benefit. I want you to believe in this system because it is worthwhile. This is a significant investment by the Army to ensure you have a comfortable service life.”

  • We’ll sustain onslaught against bandits in Katsina — COAS

    We’ll sustain onslaught against bandits in Katsina — COAS

    The Chief of Army Staff, Lt Gen Olufemi Oluyede, has assured that the soldiers would continue their onslaught against bandits until they eliminated them to enable Nigerians to live in peace.

    He stated this while speaking to journalists after he paid an operational visit to the 17 Brigade of the Nigerian Army, Natsinta, Katsina, on Wednesday.

    Lt Gen. Olufemi was received by the 17 Brigade Commander, Brig Gen Babatunde Omopariola.

    He said: “I am on operational visit to the 17 Brigade, the essence is to appraise their operational activities, look at their challenges and see how fast we can address them, so that they can do the job we assigned them to do very well.”

    The COAS revealed that the troops have recorded successes; that was why he was in Katsina to charge them to do more in the fight against banditry.

    “You will agree with me that the Brigade has been doing well.

    “I have come to urge and charge them to do more so that we can eliminate all these bandits from the state for us to have a safer state to live in,” he said.

    He reiterated that his simple message to the soldiers was for them to sustain the fight until they eliminated the bandits.

    “Our core responsibility as soldiers is to defend Nigeria, and within that ambit, it is important for us to eliminate all the bandits within this area so that Nigerians can have a place to live in,” he stressed.

  • Alleged threat to life: Court orders substituted service of summons on Army, COAS

    Alleged threat to life: Court orders substituted service of summons on Army, COAS

    ABUJA—A Federal High Court in Abuja, yesterday, ordered the service of a fundamental rights abuse suit against the Nigeria Army and seven others, via substituted means; by placing the court documents on any newspaper with a wide circulation in the Federal Capital Territory, FCT.

    Trial judge, Justice Joyce Abdulmalik made the order while ruling on an ex-parte application by the plaintiff’s counsel, Mr. Ambrose Akhigbe, an Assistant Director in Command Secondary School, Ipaja, Lagos.

    The plaintiff had brought the suit against the Nigeria Army, the Chief of Army Staff, General Officer Commanding 81 Division, Commandant, Command Day Secondary School, Lagos, Lieutenant Akabor, Private Sani, Private Ahmed and Private Montero, who are 1st to 8th respondents respectively, over alleged threat to life, assault, battering, maltreatment amongst others.

    At the hearing in the matter, yesterday, plaintiff’s lawyer, Mr. Wayne Elijah, informed the court that the bailiff has not been able to serve the court’s documents on the respondents hence, would be asking the court to make an order directing the service through substituted means by pasting same on the notice board of the Federal High Court and sending scanned copies to the respondents’ email.

    Justice Abdulmalik, however, in her ruling observed that the respondents not being staff of the Federal High Court would not be able to see the court documents and rather ordered the service through newspaper publication.

    She subsequently fixed hearing of the matter on May 5, adding that service of hearing notices be served on all respondents.

    In the suit filed November last year, plaintiff alleged that the respondents, particularly the 5th, 6th and 7th respondent violated his right when they beat him up and nearly killed him for allegedly making videos of inhumane punishments meted out on the SSS3 girls, who were asked to roll on muddy, dirty water.

    “The 5th respondent then suggested we all report to the commandant office to resolve the issue which I agreed to and while I led the way in walking down to the Admin Block, the 6th, 7th and 8th respondents acting on the instructions of the 5th respondent, battered me from behind with the sole aim of killing me as they were saying “We will kill you today you bastard” as they continued to assault me targeting my face and neck using plank, koboko, sticks, pipe canes, irons and their fist punch.

    “Video evidence of this brutalisation on me by the respondents is herein attached and marked V1 in Exhibit Flash A series.”

    The plaintiff claimed that the beatings and attempted murder led to ceaseless flow of blood from the skull of his head which led to the immediate cease of academic activities in the school as all civilian staff staged a protest in solidarity to the oppression he faced against the respondents.

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    He said the 4th respondent, who immediately handed over the 5th, 6th, 7th and 8th respondents to the military police to be kept in custody pending investigation, also took responsibility for the medical bills of N65,000 and another N115,000.

    “That shortly after the incident, my union body “Association of Senior Servants Civil of Nigeria” served the respondents with a letter of demand wherein several demands including the adequate compensation for me was demanded for,” he stated.

    He is praying the court for “An order directing the respondents jointly and severally to pay the Applicant the sum of N500 million only as compensation for the gross infringement of the applicant’s fundamental right guaranteed by the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

    “An order directing the respondents jointly and severally to pay the applicant the N50 million as costs of this action.”

  • We’ll use kinetic, non-kinetic strategies to overcome operational challenges – COAS

    We’ll use kinetic, non-kinetic strategies to overcome operational challenges – COAS

    The Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lieutenant General Olufemi Oluyede, has reiterated that the Nigerian Army will continue to adapt and refine its tactics, techniques, and procedures to address operational challenges, utilizing both kinetic and non-kinetic strategies.

    General Oluyede made this statement while opening a one-day sensitization training organized by the Department of Army Transformation and Innovation at the Army Headquarters (AHQ) for junior and middle cadre leaders of the Nigerian Army. The event was held at the 8 Division in Sokoto State.

    The training, themed “Enhancing Operational Effectiveness through Nigerian Army Lessons Learned Process/Feedback Mechanism,” was designed to equip Nigerian Army personnel with the skills to improve their operational readiness and adapt to a volatile, uncertain, complex, and ambiguous security environment.

    General Oluyede emphasized the importance of learning from both successes and failures to enhance operational effectiveness. He stated, “The place of lessons learned is key to operational effectiveness. There are no secrets to success—it is the result of preparation, hard work, and learning from failure. Interestingly, you can also learn from success and observed gaps in the field and move towards addressing them accordingly.”

    He urged commanders at all levels to continue innovating in their approaches to battle readiness and personnel management. He stressed that lessons must be consistently identified, analyzed, and integrated into day-to-day planning to reduce casualties and operational challenges.

    “This sensitization visit seeks to rekindle critical thinking skills among all commanders, particularly junior commanders, through creativity and enhance their ability to draw lessons from operational engagements,” he added.

    The Special Guest of Honour, Major General Olusegun Samson Abai, Chief of Transformation and Innovation AHQ, commended the organizers of the sensitization and reassured the attendees of continued logistical support and guidance for executing various tasks. He also thanked President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for his ongoing strategic guidance and support for the Nigerian Army, reaffirming the Army’s loyalty to the President.

    In his welcome address, Brigadier General Olayinka Are, Deputy Director of Training and Examination Analysis at the Department of Army Transformation and Innovation, explained that the sensitization aimed to enhance the troops’ knowledge on extracting, collating, and analyzing lessons to avoid past mistakes. He noted that the event aligned with the COAS’s Command Philosophy, focusing on leadership, professionalism, combat readiness, and sound administration.

    General Abai praised the operational efforts of the 8 Division and encouraged them to continue striving towards achieving their operational goals. He also thanked the General Officer Commanding 8 Division and Commander of Sector 2 North West Operation FANSAN YAMMA for their warm reception and hospitality during the visit.

    The COAS’s efforts to foster continuous learning and improvement within the Nigerian Army underscore the commitment to a more effective, adaptive, and ready force.