Why Ibadan is Hosting Chief of Army Staff’s Conference

In our continuous efforts to keep Nigerians abreast with the Nigerian Army activities, I have been mandated by the Chief of Army Staff Lt Gen TY Buratai to brief the media on the activities lined up for the forthcoming Chief of Army Staff’s Annual Conference 2017 scheduled to take place from 10 – 15 December 2017 at the World Lilies Event Place, Apata, Ibadan, Oyo State.

The choice of hosting this auspicious event in Ibadan Oyo State is pursuant to the Chief of Army Staff’s desire to exercise all Nigerian Army formations in hosting strategic level events of this nature. Under the current circumstances,  Headquarters 2 Division Ibadan has been granted the privilege of hosting the entire Nigerian Army for the Annual Conference 2017.

The Conference provides an opportunity for the Nigerian Army to appraise training and operations activities as well as logistics and administrative matters. The Nigerian Army also wishes to use the conference to reflect on its performances in 2017 in order to make projections for 2018.

This is with a view to consolidating on the successes so far achieved in repositioning the NA for better performance in the discharge of its constitutional roles. These would be based on the lessons drawn from the activities of the year ending in pursuance of the NA’s responsibilities of maintaining and defending the territorial integrity of Nigeria as well as providing aid to civil authority and civil power when called upon by the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces or as may be prescribe by an act of the National Assembly to do so.

The President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, President Muhammadu Buhari (GCFR), will be the Special Guest of Honour for the Conference. Other very important dignitaries have also been invited to attend the Conference.

The participants for the Conference will include the Commander Training and Doctrine Command, Principal Staff Officers of the Nigerian Army from Defence Headquarters and Army Headquarters, Corps Commanders, General Officers Commanding and Operations Commanders. Other participants are Commandants of Nigerian Army/Corps schools and some selected army officers serving in tri-Service institutions.

The Nigerian Army is the pride of the Nation and a symbol of national unity, which has come a long way in carrying out its constitutional roles and fulfilling its core mandate. Consequently, the theme for this year’s COAS Annual Conference is “Re-appraising the Nigerian Army’s Operational Efficiency in Containing Contemporary National Security Challenges”.

This theme was carefully selected in pursuit of one of Mr President’s cardinal objectives of enhancing national security amidst the fight against corruption and sustainable economic growth.

Accordingly, there would be a lecture to be delivered by Maj Gen Ike Nwachukwu (rtd) titled “Safeguarding Nigeria’s Unity and Sovereignty: A Patriotic and Constitutional Imperative for the Nigerian Army”.   The lecture would be delivered on 11 December 2017.

Let me at this point state that the NA will continue to uphold its core values of loyalty, courage, professionalism, discipline, respect and sacrifice.  Our loyalty to the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria remains sacrosanct in the interest of a united and prosperous Nigeria.

The Nigerian Army wishes to reiterate its continued subordination to constituted democratic authorities especially to the President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria at all times.

On behalf of the Chief of Army Staff, Lt Gen TY Buratai, I wish to thank all concerned and responsible Nigerians for their support to the Nigerian Army.

Major General Chris Jemitola
Chief of Policy and Plans (Army)
Nigerian Army Headquarters
Abuja
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