By Linus Aleke
The Nigerian Army (NA), on Wednesday, announced its plan to review the operational conduct of troops that would be deployed for elections security during the 2023 general elections, as well as Ekiti and Osun States Guber elections, scheduled to hold in June and July, to guarantee violent free elections.
The Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lt. Gen. Faruk Yahaya made this disclosure while declaring open the Chief of Army Staff Second Quarter Conference 2022, at Headquarters Command Officers’ Mess 1 Asokoro, Abuja.
He also cautioned troops to remain apolitical in the discharge of their constitutional duties.
The COAS said: “let me hasten to remind us that the nation is currently preparing for general elections. All personnel must remain apolitical while providing enabling and secured environment for electoral processes to thrive. In this regard, I directed the review of the Rules of Engagement and Code of Conduct for Operation SAFE CONDUCT and the approved guidelines would be conveyed to you soon. The Nigerian Army will continue to enhance its Civil-Military relations efforts and provide the necessary support in aid of the civil authority”.
Gen. Yahaya said that conferences of this nature, “provide us the platform to appraise the conduct of our activities and re-strategize as necessary to achieve greater performances”.
He added that the expanded attendance in this conference is deliberate and aimed to facilitate meaningful deliberations.
The COAS noted that the Nigerian Army has sustained its aggressive operational tempo against all forms of criminalities across the country.
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“In the North East, troops of Operation HADIN KAI have sustained the onslaught against the terrorists leading to the clearance of the several criminal enclaves and the surrendering of large numbers of insurgents and their families. Concerte effort has also been made to contain and checkmate the secessionist activities in the South East and illegal oil bunker activities in the South South. The South West has rema relatively calm while our reinvigorated operations across North Central and North West theatres are also yielding positive results. This conference would therefore enable us to rejig our strategies and establish new benchmarks for enhancement of our operations in all theatres of operations,” he said.
In his address of welcome, the Chief of Policy and Plans Army, Major General Anthony Bamidele Omozoje said that the Chief of Army Staff has made significant effort in one year, to enhance the operations of Nigerian Army (NA).
He reiterated Nigerian Army’s resolve to ensure violent free elections in 2023.
