He placed premium on soldiers to prioritize the "Soldier-First Culture" by ensuring that every Nigerian Army soldier is highly professional and motivated, with their welfare well catered for, recognizing their pivotal role as the foundation of the Nigerian Army's strength, operational readiness, and mission success.
The Chief of Army Staff, Lt General Olufemi Olatubosun Oluyede, the 24th Nigerian Army Chief command philosophy ideals, rested on 4 pillars of Leadership, Sound Administration. Professionalism, and Combat Readiness. These pillars will guide Nigerian army actions and decision-making at all levels.
At the opening ceremony of the 2024 COAS Annual Conference, Lt General Oluyede emphasized the power of setting examples as a leadership strategy to foster loyalty and dedication among those being led. To this end, He pledged to lead by example, and his words will be his bound.
"My leadership concept aims to create an enabling environment that facilitates administrative and operational successes for the Nigerian Army. The great Chinese philosopher Sun Tzu, asserted in his book, The Art of War, that “A leader leads by example, not by force.”
The Chief of Army Staff Annual Conference is designed to assess the Nigerian Army's activities for the outgoing year while consolidating plans for the forthcoming one. The Conference offers an opportunity for us to review existing policies, formulate new ones, and evolve strategies to drive them, all within Nigeria's national security framework.
"As this is my inaugural conference since assuming office, it presents a valuable opportunity for me to engage deeply with the current state of affairs of the Nigerian Army as we review the present situation and chart a course that strengthens our role in safeguarding the stability of our cherished nation in the coming year.
"In this Conference, our focus will be on developing innovative strategies to confront and ultimately defeat terrorism and other threats to the peace and security of our country."he noted
He said theatres have continued to keep terrorists and other criminals off balance while building the confidence of the locals. Relatedly, non-kinetic efforts have been hugely successful, particularly in the North West and North East regions.
"So far, we have had a large-scale surrender of terrorists and the submission of a substantial cache of arms and ammunition, which ordinarily might not have been possible through only kinetic efforts. To this end, the Nigerian Army will upscale both kinetic and non-kinetic efforts across all theatres of operations in the coming year to ensure peace is completely restored across the Country.
"I must appreciate the Executive and Legislative arms of government for prioritizing the re-equipping drive of the Armed Forces of Nigerian and other security agencies.
"The acquisition of state-of-the-art military equipment such as helicopters, drones, and Armoured Fighting Vehicles, among other critical military hardware, has continued to enhance our operational efficiency. Furthermore, Army Headquarters' reinvigorated drive towards refurbishment of combat enablers such as the T-72 tanks, Armoured Personnel Carriers, and artillery pieces has further enhanced the serviceability of our platforms, correspondingly impacting hugely on our operational effectiveness.
"Accordingly, I hope to sustain the acquisition of requisite platforms and other combat enablers in the coming year to further enhance the Army's combat effectiveness.
Undoubtedly, the Year 2024 has been eventful for the Nigerian Army, particularly on the operational front. We have increased the tempo of ongoing operations against terrorism, banditry, kidnapping for ransom, and wanton killings across the 6 geopolitical zones of the country.
The fight against terrorism and banditry under Operations HADIN ΚΑΙ and FASAN YAMMA has been intensified in the North East and North West theatres, respectively. In particular, Operation FANSAN YAMMA is making concerted efforts to speedily dismantle the Lakurawa terror group’s networks in the North West These operations leverage enhanced intelligence gathering, rapid deployment of special forces, and synchronized air and ground offensives to establish control and neutralize threats in the region.
Additionally, reinforced efforts are ongoing to engage local communities in information gathering and sharing to foster trust as well as promote a united stance against Lakurawa and other terrorist groups. This broad strategy underscores our unwavering commitment to safeguarding the nation and ensuring the safety and security of its citizens.
Similarly, troops deployed in other ongoing operations, such as Operations WHIRL STROKE, SAFE HAVEN, UDO KA, and DELTA SAFE, have continued to collaborate with personnel of other security agencies to contain security threats in the North Central, South East, and South-South regions of the country. The sustained large-scale ground offensives supported by air and maritime assets across all
On overstayed soldiers at the frontlones, the Army Chief said he is dedicated to maintaining systematic troop rotations to relieve personnel who have overstayed in the field and to introduce fresh forces into our operational theaters.
He noted that this practice is essential for preserving the physical and mental well-being of our troops, preventing fatigue, boosting morale across the Force, and ultimately enhancing operational effectiveness.
The Nigerian Army will leave no stone unturned to justify the confidence and support of the government and the good people of our great nation.