By Augustine Ehikioya
The Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lieutenant General Taoreed Lagbaja, on Wednesday emphasized the critical role being played by the Nigerian Army Intelligence Corps (NAIC) in the fight against insurgency and other criminal activities through their adept intelligence gathering.
He made the remark while addressing the officers and soldiers of the Corps shortly after the commissioning the remodelled Quarter Guard at NAIC in Asokoro, Abuja.
The Army Chief also unveiled the newly constructed Gatekeepers Statue at the NAIC Headquarters.
According to a statement by the Director Army Public Relations, Major General, Onyema Nwachukwu and made available to Security Watch Africa (SWA), General Lagbaja expressed gratitude for their invaluable service to the Nigerian Army (NA) and the nation at large.
It reads “The COAS highlighted the Corps’ pivotal role in the fight against insurgency and other criminal activities through their adept intelligence gathering.
“He reiterated his command philosophy and urged officers and men of the Corps to continue to work hard towards its actualisation.
“He appreciated that personnel of the Corps go to great lengths to carry out their role and charge them to even redouble their efforts.”
Emphasizing the crucial role played by the Corps in the broader framework of national security and intelligence operations, the Army Chief noted that the role of intelligence in combating various threats facing the nation and hence must receive paramount attention.
He assured the Corps of his continued support in order to sustain its role in the NA.
General Lagbaja stressed the importance of “empowering the Corps with requisite equipment, training, and technology to enhance their effectiveness in gathering, analyzing, and disseminating requisite intelligence,”
By providing the NAIC with robust support to enable intelligence driven operations, he said that the NA will effectively surmount security challenges bedeviling the country.
Lagbaja said that a well-equipped and proficient Nigerian Army Intelligence Corps is essential for maintaining a safer and more secure Nigeria.
He also called for seamless coordination and collaboration between the NAIC and other NA Corps, Sister Services, the intelligence community, law enforcement agencies, and other relevant government bodies to address evolving security threats comprehensively.
Speaking earlier in his welcome address, the Chief of Military Intelligence (Army), Major General Thompson Ugiagbe said that the Headquarters NAIC office complex has not received any renovation for quite a number of years, thus, prompting the remodeling initiative.
He added that the Gatekeepers Statue is a common feature of Intelligence Services worldwide and symbolizes the Corps’ commitment to honoring the past, inspiring the present, and securing the future through vigilant and dedicated intelligence efforts.
