Ag. COAS embarks on maiden operational tour to Sokoto; Urges support to secure Nigeria’s territory
By Sumaila Ogbaje, Abuja/Muhammad Nasir, Sokoto
Nov. 10, 2024
The Acting Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lt.-Gen. Olufemi Oluyede, has on Sunday, embarked on operational tour to Sokoto State in the 8 Division Area of Responsibility to assess the counter-insurgency operation.
This is contained in a statement by the Director, Army Public Relations, Maj.-Gen. Onyema Nwachukwu, on Sunday in Abuja.
Nwachukwu said the acting COAS arrived Sokoto in the early hours of the day, and proceeded to Forward Operations Base Tangaza and 248 Battalion in Illela, where he received briefs on the security situation by the General Officer Commanding 8 Division, Brig.-Gen. Ibikunle Ajose.
Addressing the troops at Tangaza and Illela, Oluyede commended them for their sacrifices and commitment in the ongoing fight against terrorism and insurgency in the North West.
The acting COAS said that he was on operational tour to obtain first-hand information and assessment of the security situation and challenges facing the troops.
He assured them of his full support and encouragement to decisively deplete the activities of terrorists and insurgents in their respective areas of responsibility and the North West zone in general.
The army chief charged the troops to shun any form of complacency that could jeopardize the ongoing operations to overcome the security challenges bedeviling the region.
In his interaction with the Chairman of Tangaza Local Government Area, Bashir Salihu, traditional heads and heads of security agencies at Illela, he called for synergy and collaboration with the troops.
He also called on the people to support the troops with credible information to be able to effectively protect them and secure the nation as a whole.
“Nigerian Army is the people’s army and Nigeria belongs to all of us, without support of the locals, Nigerian Army cannot succeed. We must collectively do all it takes to defend our country” he advised.
Acting Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lt-Gen Olufemi Oluyede during an official visit to Sokoto State on Sunday.
The acting COAS also called on the residents of Gongono Masallachi in Tangaza Local Government Area of Sokoto State to support the Army’s efforts to safeguard the country’s territory.
Oluyede restated that the Army believed that community support was crucial to its success.
“Nigeria belongs to all of us; the soldiers are your brothers, friends, and fellow Nigerians. Support us, and inform us when there are any challenges.
“I want to assure you that all the soldiers here are for you. Please notify them of any security threats or unusual activity.
“We know there will always be challenges, but the question is how we respond to them,” he said.
The acting army chief explained that one of the purposes of his visit was to assess the readiness of the troops and to encourage them to rise to the challenges they face.
“I urge you to support us, because without your cooperation, we cannot succeed, and Nigeria itself cannot be secured.
“We need Nigeria to be secured so that we can all share in its prosperity,” Oluyede stated.
During his visit, the acting COAS also stopped at the Illela border community, where he met with security officers and inspected the new military barracks under construction.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that for over a decade, a mysterious group known as Lakurawa had been periodically appearing in villages across the state, particularly in Tangaza, Gudu, Gwadabawa, Binji and Illela LGAs.
The group, which is reportedly composed of foreigners, is said to be communicating in languages such as Arabic, Hausa, Fulfulde, and Zabarmanci.
Past government and security operations forced them to vacate these areas. However, recent reports revealed that the group has reappeared in some villages in Tangaza and Gudu local government areas.
Although the purpose of Lakurawa remained unclear, reports suggested that the group, armed with sophisticated weapons, had engaged in clashes with security personnel, and wields influence over local community decisions.
