The Chief of Army Staff, Lt General Faruk Yahaya has charged Guards Brigade troops and other security agencies in the Federal Capital Territory to improve the cooperation and synergy between themselves and their host communities in order to tackle any security challenges and to ensure success in various operations.
The COAS represented by the Army Operations Monitoring Team, Major General HT Westley made the call on Monday 23 January 2023 when he led his team to access the Guards Brigade Area of Operational Responsibility for the Conduct of Exercise Enduring Peace which was inaugurated on October 2022 to address lingering security challenges confronting the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) and it’s environs.
The Team leader, Major General HT Wesley who was accompanied by Brig General CA Osuagwu from Department of Civil Military Affairs (Army) said, troops might not be able to be everywhere at the same time but with good relationship with other security agencies and the people, peace and security will be maintained in their environment.
He advise the Brigade and other security agencies to always review their operational style especially when they go on patrol, "the fact that people have been doing something for a very long time does not means that its good or beneficial, if there is no reward for such measures, we should think of new things to do".
Earlier briefing the team on the general security situation and highlighting the execution of Exercise Enduring Peace in Guards Brigade Area of Responsibility, the Chief of Staff Guards Brigade, represented by the acting Chief of Staff, Lt Col. Akingbesote stressed that the exercise has availed the Brigade a platform to deal with the heightened contemporary security Challenges exploring IS an CTCOIN operational alternatives.
He said this has been achieved through multiple lines of operations such as constant fighting Patrols both into the depth of the forest and highways and road blocks raid operations as well as civic by the brigade.
He noted that, the Exercise Enduring Peace involved the Kinetic and non Kinetic operations to checkmate Challenges like Boko Haram Terrorist attacks, Arms proliferation, Kidnapping, cattle rustling, farmers and herders clashes, Armed robbery, and communal clashes.
He said, the brigade conducted Sanitation exercise to clear up dirty spots and refuse dumps in Gwagwalada Area council, road maintenance, distribution of educational materials to schools in 7 Guards Brigade Battalion Area of Responsibility, donation of Solar Power Boreholes amongst others.
Exercise Enduring Peace is a yearly operation aimed at checkmating all security threats capable of making lives unbearable especially during the festive period and as 2023 general elections draws closer.
The exercise had featured intensive stop and search operations along all route within the FCT and it’s environs by troops drawn from the Nigerian Armed Forces, Nigeria Police, the Department of State Service (DSS), and the Nigerian Immigration Service.
Also participating in the Exercise are the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corp as well as the local vigilante. The exercise is expected to last for 3months.
Guards Brigade is an autonomous formation administered directly by the Nigerian Army Headquarter. The Brigade is made up of 4 Battalions and A Garrison as well as Combat Support and Combat Service Support Units. The Brigade headquarter operates in the line with the continental general staff system and has an artillery battery from 31 artillery brigade under command.