Port Harcourt, Nigeria – The Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant-General Taoreed Lagbaja, has called on the troops of the 6 Division of the Nigerian Army to root out economic saboteurs and ensure their complete elimination.
Lagbaja made this charge during his first working tour to the Division Area of Responsibility (AoR) in Port Harcourt. The Director of Army Public Relations, Brigadier-General Onyema Nwachukwu, released a statement regarding the COAS’s directives on Saturday in Abuja.
Lieutenant-General Lagbaja emphasized the paramount importance of the Federal Government’s three key priorities: economic recovery, security, and infrastructural development. He stressed that achieving meaningful economic recovery hinged upon securing the nation’s oil industry, and the services of the troops were vital in this regard.
The COAS urged the soldiers to remain loyal, disciplined, and committed to their constitutional responsibilities, emphasizing that their allegiance should first and foremost be to the Constitution and the government of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
Furthermore, Lagbaja cautioned the troops against any violations of the codes of conduct that govern their operations, underlining that their primary duty was to ensure the safety and security of the society.
Throughout the visit, Lieutenant-General Lagbaja inaugurated several landmark projects and essential operational platforms designed to bolster amphibious operations in the Niger Delta region. He announced that the procurement of a set of 10 Gunboats marked a significant step forward and revealed ongoing efforts to acquire additional platforms to enhance the army’s operational capabilities in riverine environments.
Additionally, the COAS underscored the importance of inter-agency collaboration in ensuring the nation’s security. He emphasized the need for the personnel of different security agencies to work together in a multi-agency environment to enhance existing inter-agency cooperation, stating, “You must work together, you must work as comrades.”
The General Officer Commanding the 6 Division, Nigerian Army, Major-General Jamal Abdussalam, expressed his gratitude to Lieutenant-General Lagbaja for his strategic, moral, and financial support to the Division. He explained that Exercise STILL WATERS III would offer commanders and operatives an opportunity to engage in effective operational planning, logistics preparation, Military Operations Other than War, and tactical amphibious operations.
Major-General Abdussalam also highlighted the exercise’s focus on conducting civil-military activities aimed at winning the hearts and minds of the local populace.
The visit’s highlights included the official launch of Exercise STILL WATERS III in Rivers and a courtesy call on Governor Siminalayi Fubara. Additionally, Lieutenant-General Lagbaja inaugurated 10 Gunboats and unveiled several infrastructure projects, including the remodeled 6 Division Headquarters Complex reception, twin Regimental Sergeant Majors quarters, Ordnance tailoring factory, remodeled Corpers’ Lodge, and a new office complex to accommodate the Headquarters of the 26 Support Engineer Regiment, among others.
