By Olayemi Esan
In other to reflect on its performances in the year 2021 towards more effective operational and administrative performance in the coming year, the Nigerian Army will be having its Chief of Army Staff (COAS) Annual Conference 2021, scheduled to take place from 6 - 11 December 2021 at Army Headquarters Command Officers’ Mess 1, Asokoro, Abuja.
Director, Army Public Relations Officer, Brigadier General Onyema Nwachukwu made this disclosure during a Press Conference with Defence Correspondents, preceding the COAS 2021 in Abuja on Friday with theme, "Building Nigerian Army Capacity in Combating emerging Security Threats in a Joint Operation Environment".
Nwachukwu said that, the COAS Annual Conference is a forum for appraising Nigerian Army’s performance within a period of one year.
He noted that this year’s conference will afford the COAS and participants an opportunity to evaluate training, operational activities as well as logistics and administrative matters for the year 2021.
The Nigerian Army being a symbol of national unity and pride of the nation has come a long way in carrying out its constitutional roles and fulfilling its core mandate to the citizenry.
Brig. Gen Nwachukwu said, the Conference is also aimed at making projections for subsequent years, with a view to reposition the NA for optimal performance in the discharge of its constitutional roles.
The major highlights of the COAS Annual Conference will be Lectures by Director General Department of State Services, Mr Yusuf Magaji Bichi titled, “Current and Future Security Perception in Nigeria”, Chief of Training (Army), Maj Gen AB Ibrahim titled, “Effectiveness of Realistic and Practical Training: An Appraisal of Exercise RESTORE HOPE”, the Chief of Transformation and Innovation (Army), and a presentation on “Strategies for Implementation of Lessons Learned” by Maj Gen C Ofoche.
President Muhammadu Buhari, Honourable Minister of Defence, Maj Gen Salihi Bashir Magashi (Rtd) will be the Special Guests of Honour.
Highlighting some major achievements of the Nigerian Army under the visionary leadership of the COAS, Lt Gen Faruk Yahaya since his appointment as the 22nd Chief of Army Staff on 27th May 2021, Nwachukwu revealed that, COAS visited Headquarters of Operational Theatres where he charged troops to sustain the onslaught against Boko Haram/Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) terrorists, Bandits and all other criminal elements.
Additionally, the kinetic and non kinetic activities in theatres have led to mass surrender of fighters and recovery of combat equipment, which has substantially degraded the terrorists fighting capability, spelt doom for the terrorists who lost some of their notable commanders, such as Abubakar Shekau and Musab Al- Banarwi, among other operational commanders.
He added that the Chief of Army Staff, who has at various times traversed the theatre landscape shoring up troops’ fighting will and motivation to subdue the adversary. This was further supported with robust welfare packages provided for troops in the theatre.
"General Yahaya has been in all fronts, leading with remarkable strides in the area of massive infrastructural developments across Nigerian Army formations and units. Several dilapidated buildings across the barracks are currently receiving face lifts, while more accommodation and office buildings are being erected for the Nigerian Army across the country.
"Troops of Exercise GOLDEN DAWN in collaboration with other security agencies effectively provided security for the successful conduct of the recent Anambra Governorship election despite the threats from IPOB, ESN and other armed militias in the state to scuttle the election", he said.
He added that, the COAS commissioned the Nigerian Army Cyber Warfare Command Satellite Communication Vehicles, which have the capacity to track and monitor all manner of operational activities on the move.
Other highlights of the conference are, briefs by Field Commanders of Nigerian Army Operations, both in Nigeria and outside the shores of the country, on their operational activities, successes and future projections. These would be spread throughout the days of the Conference beginning from Day one.
