COAS Flags Off Welfare Flight For Troops Of Operation HADIN KAI
The Chief of Army Staff (COAS) Lieutenant General Faruk Yahaya, in his efforts to cater for the welfare of troops and boost their morale, has flagged off welfare flight for troops of Joint Task Force Operation Hadin Kai (OPHK) who are proceeding on pass to and fro the theatre of operations to other parts of the country.
The COAS performed the symbolic ceremony on Monday, 9 August, 2021 at the Nigerian Air Force Base Maiduguri, Borno State.
Lieutenant General Yahaya in his remarks said welfare of troops is one of his cardinal focus for the Nigerian Army and it is in this regard that the initiative was birthed in order to ease the movement of personnel of OPHK by addressing problems such as distance and other associated challenges, while proceeding on pass to see their families and loved ones.
Lt Gen Yahaya in a statement by Director Army Public Relations, Brigadier General Onyema Nwachukwu, yesterday said the ongoing Joint operations in the Theatre has further strengthened the synergy between the services and other security agencies which informed the decision of Chief of the Air Staff to provide the Nigerian Air Force Charlie-130 aircraft to lift troops of the Armed Forces of Nigeria (AFN), personnel of other security agencies, as well as civilian staff of the AFN from Maiduguri to other parts of the country.
He stated that the flight will be twice a month to meet the two weeks duration of leave passes in the theatre, He added that personnel leaving on pass will be granted two weeks. The COAS further directed that all security measures must be strictly adhered to, as troops will be thoroughly searched, cleared and documented before boarding the flight.
He urged all troops to utilize the opportunity to promote synergy amongst all the services and security agencies in the theatre, in order to achieve success in ongoing and future operations.
While appreciating the President, Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Muhammadu Buhari for his guidance, directions and the confidence reposed in the AFN, Gen Yahaya pledged his unalloyed loyalty and commitment to defending the constitution of the country. He also extended his appreciation to the Minister of Defence Major General Bashir Magashi (rtd), the Chief of Defence Staff, General Lucky Irabor, Chief of the Naval Staff, Chief of the Air Staff and the Inspector General of Police for their support and collaboration.
Speaking earlier on the schedules of flight, the Chief of Operations (Army), Major General Olufemi Akinjobi said the welfare flight has been scheduled to cover 3 main hubs, namely Lagos, Abuja and Maiduguri. Troops from Lagos will be housed and managed at Ikeja Cantonment, while those in Abuja will be at the Nigerian Army Forward Operational Base and those in Maiduguri will be at the Headquarters Theatre Command.
Disclaimer Re: Army To Free 2 Senior Boko Haram Bomb Experts After Rehabilitation
Our attention has been drawn to a publication by some online news medium released in which the authors deliberately misrepresented the facts contained in that report and twisted it to suit whatever purpose they seek to achieve.
While the Nigerian Army (NA) does not want to be distracted from its main focus of dealing decisively with the threats against peace-loving Nigerians, it has become necessary to put issues in their right perspectives. It is a known fact that in the recent past, over 1,000 members of Boko Haram and their families have surrendered to the troops due to the intense pressure from troops’ sustained offensive actions. Among those were key leaders of the terrorist group who have renounced their membership and have turned themselves in.
The NA being a professional military organisation will continue to act in accordance with the dictates of the Nigerian Constitution, as well as international best practices. It must be known that the NA will never encourage any act of lawlessness or extrajudicial killings. Accordingly, all surrendered terrorists will be received, processed and passed on to the relevant agencies of Government for further assessment in line with extant provisions.
The ongoing Operation Safe Corridor is an outfit established by the Federal Government and not the NA. As such, it is absolutely wrong to say that the NA will free repentant terrorists. The NA, therefore, appeals to the public to disregard the deliberate distortion of facts by these online mediums and continue to support the NA in order to rid the country of terrorism and other forms of insecurity.
The Chief of Army Staff Lieutenant General Faruk Yahaya has reiterated his admonition to all terrorist groups operating in the country to abandon their illegitimate cause and surrender to troops.
ONYEMA NWACHUKWU
Brigadier General
Director Army Public Relations
10 August 2021
