By Dansu Peter
This is coming on the heels of commendations from across the country over the efforts of the Nigerian Army in quelling insurrections and other multiple armed local conflicts around the country.
The efforts has attracted widespread eulogies from many state Governors whose enclaves, which were previously hijacked by armed criminals, have been rescued by the Nigerian Army.
Governor Ajimobi made the disclosure, on Monday in Ibadan, the Oyo state capital, during the opening ceremony of the last quarter of the 2017 Chief of Army Staff (COAS) Conference with the theme; “Re-appraising the Nigerian Army’s Operational Efficiency in Containing Contemporary National Security Challenges.”
Efforts of the Nigerian Army in quelling insurrections and other multiple armed local conflicts around the country have attracted widespread eulogies from many state governors whose enclaves, which were previously hijacked by armed criminals, have been rescued by the Nigerian Army.
The event was graced by President Muhammedu Buhari, who was represented by the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) Gen. Gabriel Abayomi Olonisakin as well as serving and retired military top brass among them, former COASs Lt. General Kenneth Minimah and Gen. O.A Ihejirika. Also, Major Gen. Ike Nwachukwu was in attendance among others.
The State Governors were pleased with their partnership of the Nigerian Army, which freed the people from the strangulating grip of numerous armed criminals and hooligans terrorizing communities. They were emphatic that these criminals upturned the serenity of their once peaceful states and hubs of intellectualism into war zones by mindlessly violent attacks on the citizenry.
Edo state Governor Gaius Obaseki, represented by a Senior aide also sent endearing words of appreciation to Nigerian troops at the warfront for their successes in the war against insurgency, adding that the people of Edo state and Nigerians lack words enough to appreciate them for entrenching durable peace in Nigeria.
They noted that the strategic partnership with the Army has enhanced security and peace, which are crucial necessities for growth and development, as they uniformly appreciated the successes of Nigerian troops in the frontline of the war against insurgency. They pontificated that the Army discharged their constitutional duties professionally and responsibly; while encouraging them to sustain the winning streaks in the counter-insurgency operations.
Governor Ajimobi recounted painfully how a former President of Nigeria once described Ibadan as a political garrison command, which bred all manner of armed criminals who daily terrorized the state, noting, it almost tainted the good image of the state, as the intellectual epicenter of Nigeria, as host of Nigeria’s first premier university in history.
Ajimobi revealed that what saved the state from the inferno of the armed criminals was the initiative of his administration to partner with the Nigerian Army, which he said, has rewarded bountifully, as the old infamous tag of “garrison of armed criminals and rogues” has regained its status as a haven of peace and security.
He repeatedly bragged that his administration’s collaboration with the Nigerian Army has rewarded handsomely, by flushing out all sorts of criminal elements from Oyo State.
He reminded guests at the event that Ibadan is a former capital of the defunct Western region and still peopled by all Nigerians, by virtue of its treasure of peace and hospitality, which men of the underworld sought to destroy, save for the intervention of the Nigerian Army.
The Governor therefore welcomed Nigerians to Oyo State, as their home to freely visit at any time they deem fit as security, peace and tranquility have been restored to this ancient largest city in Africa.
The Governor said, he desires to sustain this partnership with the Army with the understanding to build a garrison of peace and security where developments in all sector would thrive unhindered and, in abundance to add value to the lives of citizens of the state.
The State Governor feted the COAS Lt. Gen. Buratai as the symbol of a perfect gentleman-soldier in words, character and action, crowning it with a request to the Army leadership to consider his induction into the Nigerian Army as an “Honorary General,” in recognition of his recent fruitful alliance with the military to deliver security, peace and dividends of democracy to the good people of Oyo State.
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