We will equip security forces to defeat Boko Haram – Buhari
Fatimah Abdullahi
Nigerian President, Muhammadu Buhari, has said his administration will do everything possible to equip the military and other security forces to effectively dislodged Boko Haram insurgents.
Mr President stated this at the graduation ceremony of officers of Senior Course 37 on Friday at the Armed Forces Command and Staff College, AFCSC, Jaji in Kaduna State.
Buhari, who spoke through the Vice-President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo who stood in for him said, the Federal Government under his leadership, will do everything possible to equip the military and other security forces to effectively dislodge the Boko Haram insurgents in the region.
The President gave an assurance that his administration will use all legitimate means at its disposal to end the menace of deadly attacks by the terrorist group in the region.
He therefore advised the nation’s military officers to be mindful of their actions by taking into cognizance, the religious and ethnic sensitiveness of the country in the fight against the Boko Haram insurgents in the northeast, and other criminal elements across the country.
Lauding the men and officers of the Armed Forces for the bold and courageous steps taken so far in the ongoing war against terror, Mr President reminded the graduands to make good use of the skills and knowledge they have acquired from the college, as most of them would be deployed in crisis-prone areas within or outside the country.
He also urged them to remain apolitical and neutral while discharging their constitutional roles at all times.
In his speech, the Commandant of the college, Air Vice Marshal John-Chris Ifemeje, stated that the high number of international students that have enrolled in the college strengthens the idea of African brotherliness and regional cooperation which were necessary for the security of the continent.
A total of 174 students comprising of 70 Army officers, 43 Navy, 31 Air Force officers, 21 allied officers from some West African countries and 9 paramilitary personnel, enrolled for the course on July 30 2014.
The AFCSC was established to offer increased capacity for academic and professional training of military officers and other ranks of the Nigerian Armed Forces.
Since its inception in 1976, the college has graduated a total of 3,060 officers, including officers drawn from 28 African countries and other paramilitary agencies.
