Boko Haram: Army procuring equipment to tackle menace

The Nigerian Army said it is relentlessly combating the present security challenges through the procurement of equipment necessary to halt the rage of the insurgents.
The General Officer Commanding (GOC) 81 Division Major General Olubunmi Irefin who made the revelation said the force is also tackling contemporary challenges through training and retraining of its personnel and the provision of adequate welfare for its officers and men.
General Irefin spoke during the conduct of the West African Social Activities (WASA) for the Nigerian Army Education Corps which held at Ann’s Barrack in Yaba in Lagos, saying that the force needs improved funding to enable it to carry out some of its responsibilities.
His words: “I wish to state here that the Nigerian Army is relentlessly combating contemporary security challenges, through the procurement of equipment, adequate training and retraining of personnel and provision of the welfare needs of the personnel of the force. These efforts have indeed yielded positive results, as terrorism and other violent crimes in the country, have been drastically stemmed,”
General Irefin said that the commitment of the Nigerian Army in various operations locally and internationally, requires that officers and soldiers unwind at the end of the year, to interact with civil society through the social platform of WASA.
He said that the approval for the conduct of WASA in all formation of the force has shown the determination of the Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Tukur Buratai to sustain the ethics and tradition of the military.
He commended the Nigerian Army Education Corps for the satisfactory performance of its statutory responsibilities, pointing out that the sustained manpower training of its personnel which is in line with the vision of the COAS for the force will go a long way to enhance service delivery.
While commending the repositioning of the corps by the Commander, Major General Mukthar Mohammed Bunza, to adequately provide manpower for the Nigerian Army university, General Irefin urged the corps to ensure that affordable, qualitative education is provided for the personnel of the force and the civil populace in the Nigerian Army command schools.
He also urged the corps to strive hard to drive the Nigerian Army language proficiency training and endure effective provision of library, museum and archival services for the Nigerian Army in line with your core vision.
He called on the troops to show loyalty and dedication to service in the performance of their professional and assigned responsibility.
Speaking earlier, the Corps Commander of the Nigerian Army Education Corps Major General Bunza said that the corps had been contributing to the development of education in both the Nigerian Army and the society at large.
He said his vision of propelling Nigerian Army Education Corps for professional excellence in the discharge of its core mandate, is anchored on that of the Chief of Army Staff of having a professionally responsive Nigerian Army in the discharge of its constitutional roles.
He said that efforts are on to mobilize all NAEC personnel for the performance of their duties, adding that the corps is in partnership with Nigerian Army Resource Centre for capacity building for its officers, noting that the corps had continue to provide a competent human resource for the force.