By Jibrin Baba Ndace
Abuja
President Goodluck Jonathan and former Head of State General Yakubu Gowon have urged the Nigerian Armed Forces to take immediate and necessary action to redeem their floundering image by flushing out Boko Haram terrorists from every part of the country.
The two leaders gave this charge at the opening ceremony of Chief of Army Staff (COAS) Annual Conference 2014 in Ibom Le Meridien, Uyo, Akwa Ibom state, yesterday.
While Jonathan was represented by the Minister of Defence, Lt-Gen. Aliyu Gusau (rtd), former Military Administrator of Lagos, Brigadier General Mohammed Buba Marwa, stood in for Gowon.
He commended the gallantry of the military in the ongoing counter-terrorism and counter-insurgency operations in the North East and assured that the state of insecurity would soon become a thing of the past.
“As you deliberate on contemporary security challenges facing our nation and re–strategise to meet them, I am convinced that you will apply the traditional vigour and dedication, for which the Army is noted, to bear on achieving the objectives of this conference.
“Therefore, I am confident that the nation will sooner than later overcome the current challenges and usher in a new era of peace, unity, progress and development.
Earlier, Gowon tasked the Nigerian Army to, as a matter of urgency, retrieve every inch of the Nigerian territories occupied by the terrorists.
“The pictures of Boko Haram seen, apart from being mounted on Toyota vehicles, they look rag tag – certainly not a threat to a well trained and better soldiers like the Nigerian Army.”
He further charged the COAS, Lt-Gen. Kenneth Minimah, and Commanders in the Nigerian Army to urgently correct the negative perception about the soldiers who have in the past had records of professionalism and competence.
“I have not lost confidence in our Armed Forces. I want you to retrieve your honour by reversing some of these lapses into successes, losses into victories; negative opinions into positive opinions.
“I charge you to go all out to flush those insurgents (BH) out of our territories all the way right back to where they came from. That is the task that the Armed Forces, especially the army, must do, must accomplish without delay. I trust you will win.”
In his opening remarks, the Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Kenneth Minimah, assured of the Army’s cardinal duty to defend the country from external aggression, maintain its territorial integrity, suppress insurrection and provide aids to civil authorities.