President Muhammadu Buhari says the achievement of the military under his administration is unprecedented, Daily Trust reports.
Speaking as the reviewing officer at the Passing out Parade of 69 Regular Course at the Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA), Kaduna, on Thursday, Buhari said security challenges in the country have evolved and assumed other dimensions since 2015.
He said the Federal Government devised both military and non-military methods to intervene in the crisis, and even rolled out an amnesty programme to rehabilitate repentant terrorists.
“Our tasks as the guardians of the nation are to prepare for the evolving and complex security situations and make sure that no terrorists can threaten Nigeria’s sovereign integrity. When this Government came in 2015, we inherited a country at crossroads, with bombs going off with frightening frequency even in our cities, and we came in to confront and manage the crisis.
“This administration has since coming on board procured over 550 naval platforms, out of which 319 have been delivered, as a part of the aggressive fleet recapitalisation of the Nigerian Navy. We have also increased the number of Nigerian Air Force platforms by more than 38% and enhanced the serviceability rate of aircraft in the NAF inventory by over 70%.
“In pursuing this same objective, the Nigerian Army has received by more than 2000 units of various Armoured Fighting Vehicles, guns, and equipment. These are in addition to improved funding of the three Services along with other security and intelligence agencies. These comprehensive and systematic acquisitions within 7 years are not only unprecedented in the past 38 years, but they also align with our pledge to safeguard and strengthen the security architecture of our country.
“In our bid to fulfil our promise to neutralise Boko Haram terrorism in the North East, which had spread to other neighbouring countries when we took over, the Armed Forces liberated areas occupied by the terrorists and gave the residents a new lease of life, and our commitment to resettling and rehabilitating the victims of the tragedy has been unwavering.
“I want to seize this opportunity to appeal to Nigerians that, although we have recorded successes in the conflict inherited, especially in the North-East, the security challenges in the country have evolved and assumed other dimensions in some areas. We have devised both military and non-military methods to intervene, and even rolled out an amnesty programme to rehabilitate repentant terrorists who surrendered and laid down their arms unconditionally.
“Our tasks as the guardians of the nation are to prepare for the evolving and complex security situations and make sure that no terrorists can threaten Nigeria’s sovereign integrity.”
He then instructed the Service Chiefs to replicate the successes in the North East in other parts of the country, and called on all Nigerians to continue to support the Armed Forces and security agencies.
He reminded the graduating cadets that there is no better time to prove their valour and demonstrate the virtues upon which the NDA was founded in the defence of the country with uncompromising dignity and honour.
He urged them to replicate the social cohesion they experienced during their time at the academy and be the unifying and incorruptible models of those that trained them to protect and bound by esprit de corps.
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