Odita Sunday 
By Odita Sunday
The Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lieutenant General Waidi Shaibu, has charged graduating recruits of the Nigerian Army to apply decisive force against bandits, kidnappers and other criminal elements threatening Nigeria’s peace and security.
Speaking on Thursday at the graduation ceremony of the Restore Hope Programme for the 90 Regular Recruit Intake at the Depot Nigerian Army Shooting Range in Zaria, the Army Chief described the nation’s security situation as critical and urged the recruits to be prepared for the realities of modern warfare.
Shaibu said criminal groups operating under the guise of banditry and kidnapping had continued to inflict hardship on citizens through abductions and the destruction of lives and property, stressing that the military must remain resolute in confronting the threats.
“The security challenges confronting Nigeria today are complex, uncertain and ambiguous. Terrorism, banditry and other asymmetric threats demand not only courage, but also intelligence, discipline and strategic thinking. The era of relying solely on conventional responses to unconventional threats is behind us,” he said.
The Army Chief urged the recruits, who are expected to be inducted into military service within two days, to remain professional and uncompromising in dealing with criminal elements while adhering strictly to the Rules of Engagement and military ethics.
He congratulated the recruits on the successful completion of what he described as rigorous and modern military training, assuring them that the Nigerian Army was acquiring advanced combat equipment and pursuing additional capabilities to improve operational effectiveness and enhance troop safety.
Shaibu explained that the Restore Hope initiative was designed to instill professionalism, discipline, resilience and loyalty among recruits while equipping them with the skills needed to tackle the country’s evolving security challenges.
The programme forms part of ongoing efforts by the Nigerian Army to strengthen its manpower and operational readiness in the fight against terrorism, banditry and other forms of insecurity across the country.
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