President Bola Tinubu has reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to repositioning and strengthening the Nigerian Army as the country contends with escalating security challenges.
The President made the declaration at the closing ceremony of the 163rd Nigerian Army Day Celebration, which took place on Monday at the Yakubu Gowon Stadium in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.
Represented by Vice President Kashim Shettima, Tinubu said his administration would modernize the Nigerian Army through the deployment of emerging technologies and the strengthening of operational capabilities across all theatres of operation to improve military planning, combat readiness and the nation’s response to evolving security threats.
“My administration is firmly committed to countering contemporary threats through the adoption of emerging technologies and the building of capacity across all battle spaces, thereby improving operational planning and combat readiness,” he said.
He pointed out that the investment in R&D in the Armed Forces and the push for technological advancement and homegrown innovation are gaining momentum.
At the heart of this drive, he said, is the revitalisation of the Defence Industries Corporation of Nigeria, DICON, with the forum’s partnership expected to inject fresh momentum into local defence manufacturing, create skilled jobs and strengthen Nigeria’s capacity to support counter-terrorism operations through indigenous production.
He also welcomed the establishment of the African Land Forces Forum, which he said would serve as a platform to enhance security cooperation throughout Africa.
“This administration is committed to modernising our Army to enhance its capacity to meet contemporary security challenges,” Tinubu said, noting that his government shares the aspirations of the forum’s organisers to raise Nigeria’s standing in defence diplomacy and enhance the Army’s combat readiness through shared expertise.
The President praised Nigerian troops for their sacrifices in preserving the territorial integrity of the nation and assured that the Federal Government would continue to support the families of personnel that lost their lives in the line of duty.
To the officers and men of the Nigerian Army, you carry a trust that few are asked to carry and you carry it with an honour that steadies the whole nation.
“Treat the people with the same care you show in defending them, for the uniform only commands respect when it protects the weak and upholds the dignity of every citizen,” he said.
Also speaking, the Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, commended the Nigerian Army for its notable strides in technological advancement and manpower development.
He reiterated his administration’s support for the institution and called for improved welfare for soldiers, saying better conditions of service would enhance their effectiveness in the discharge of their duties.
This year’s celebration, according to the Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Waidi Shaibu, in his welcome remarks, comes at a critical period as more than 80 per cent of Nigerian soldiers are currently engaged in operations against insurgency and other security threats across the country.
“The Army has evolved and changed with the nation over the decades,” he said, “to meet new realities, to shoulder more responsibilities in defending the country.”
Shaibu said the Army was aware of the infiltration of jihadist groups from neighbouring countries and assured Nigerians that troops were fully prepared to confront and defeat the threat.
He said that the Army is an institution built on selfless service, loyalty, honour, courage and sacrifice, adding that the Army is committed to the defence of Nigeria’s sovereignty, territorial integrity and protection of the lives and aspirations of its citizens.
“The anniversary is a renewal of the Army’s dedication to national service,” he said. “This celebration is also a reaffirmation of our commitment to protect the nation and serve the people, regardless of the challenges of any era.
He added that the Army is closely following the deteriorating security situation in the Sahel region.
“We have already seen the footprints of foreign jihadists across our borders. However, I wish to reassure all of us that the Nigerian Army is alert and up to the task.
“Just as our forefathers successfully confronted the security challenges of their generations during the two World Wars, the Nigerian Civil War and the ECOMOG missions, the Nigerian Army of today will certainly triumph in confronting the security challenges of our generation,” Shaibu said.
This year’s Nigerian Army Day Celebration was marked with the theme “Protecting the People and Serving the Nation: A Way Forward for the Nigerian Army.
The event also included parades by the Army’s corps and departments and demonstrations of its land and aerial combat capabilities.
The Minister of Defence, the Chief of Defence Staff, the Chief of the Naval Staff, the Chief of the Air Staff, former President Olusegun Obasanjo, former Head of State Yakubu Gowon, retired service chiefs and Army chiefs from several African countries, among other dignitaries, were in attendance.
