By: JOEL Duku, Damaturu

The Chief of Army State, Lt. Gen. Yusuf Buratai, has warned 452 graduating army officers that the army does not condone laziness and complacency.

The COAS, who was addressing the Passing Out Parade of officers of Regular Combatant 66 and Short Service Combatant 45 who have successfully gone through Leadership and Regimentation Course in 241 Model Battalion Nguru, Yobe State charged them to go out and be good ambassadors of the army by making the institution proud.

“I urge you to keep alive the knowledge acquired, put it into effective use and give good account of yourselves wherever deployed.

“I am happy with your overall performances and wish to particularly congratulate you for completing this course on a high note.

” Do not rest on your oars but continue to strive harder in all your endeavours. I must also remind you that discipline is the bedrock upon which a successful military career is built and nourished.

“It therefore beholds on you as individual officers to remain disciplined at all times, to exercise good command and control of men and resources placed under your watch. I must warn you that the NA has no room for laziness and complacency, therefore, you must take your career very seriously and discharge your duties with utmost diligence while shunning any acts capable of bringing your integrity to disrepute.
“I charge you all to become leaders who by their courage in times of great adversity and competence will motivate their subordinates to follow them to any length. This implies that you must be selfless in rendering your services, firm and fair to all,” Buratai said.
The Nation recalled that the officer one week ago undertook a fitness and show of force march through the ancient town of Nguru which attracted jubilations and praises from the residents for the soldiers.

The Nation finding revealed that out of the 452 graduating officers of the training, 26 are females and have been reported to have being very active during the 13 weeks drilling.

During the period of the 13 gruelling weeks, The Nation also gathered that the officers were schooled on various aspects of Regimentation and Leadership including Physical Training, Weapon Handling, Map Reading, Military Law, Civil Military Cooperation, tactical operations in the field, Professionalism and Discipline, amongst others which will develop the capacities of the young officers to be professionally responsive in all spheres of military duties in line with my vision for the Nigerian Army (NA).

Buratai, who was represented at the occasion by the Director Training, Army Headquarters Department of Training and Operation, Maj. General Abdulsalami Bagudu Ibrahim, reminded the officers that their training came at the right time when the country is faced with different forms of security challenges, while expressing delight that the officers are well equipped to handles such challenges where and whenever they are faced with them.

“I believe that the period spent on this course has exposed you to the basic tenets, techniques and requisite skills in Leadership and Regimentation to enable you take off on a sound professional footing.

“Regimentation which is the vital element of combat spirit is one of the greatest factors for winning battles and achieving successes in the military. This vital element seems to have been undermined at the junior leadership cadre of officers. The inability of some young officers to adapt to the art of managing the norms, ethics, traditions and responsibilities of the regiment has occasioned dire consequences on their leadership capacity.

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“To address this gap, we must train and retrain young officers as there is no substitute for effective training. It is only through focused and realistic training that officers can become more proficient and well equipped to perform their jobs. The immediate training requirement is to ensure that the Nigerian Army is capable of carrying out its constitutional roles particularly in the conduct of CTCOIN in the NE and other parts of the country. The essence is to enhance troops’ combat and operational efficiency in combating the security challenges confronting the Nigerian nation. It is on this premise, that this orientation course is designed to provide you with the requisite knowledge to enable you attain high level of professionalism urgently needed to overcome the many challenges bedeviling our society.

“The training you have received has inculcated in you highly regimented, skilled, confident and motivated spirits which makes you ready to perform any assigned task. It has equally broadened your understanding of military operations and better equipped you to carryout difficult tasks in the face of great danger.

“The NA as you are aware is currently faced with myriads of security challenges and this training has further prepared you to play your role more effectively. I therefore charge you to go and make the NA proud by the wealth of knowledge you have acquired during this orientation training in your units and the theatre of operations,” he said.

The COAS thanked the Commanding Officer and his team for carrying out a successful for “producing this highly-regimented crop of young officers for the NA”.

Col. Edwin Ugorji, the Commanding Officer of the 241 RECCE Model Battalion Nguru informed that the training was rigorous and successful.