By Augustine Ehikioya
In order to enhance operational readiness in the Nigerian Army (NA), the Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lieutenant General Taoreed Lagbaja has pledged his support to vigorously promote equipment maintenance.
He made the remark on Thursday 25 July, 2024, at the Army Headquarters Conference room during a paper presentation, titled “Equipment Maintenance and Operational Readiness: Strategic Options for the Nigerian Army by the year 2035”
The paper was presented by Nigerian Army participants of National Defence College (NDC) Course 32.
The COAS, while commending the participants for a well-researched paper, said that the NA has a lot to gain when the research findings are implemented.
Gen Lagbaja, in a statement by the Director Army Public Relations, Major General, Onyema Nwachukwu, and made available to Security Watch Africa (SWA) also disclosed that the NA will adopt some of the recommendations in the maintenance of its vehicles in the various theaters of operations for effective operational performance.
As technologies continue to advance, the Army Chief said that the NA will continue “to adopt and integrate evolving innovations in order to maintain a competitive edge and standardized operations in the theatres of operations.”
Speaking earlier, the Commandant, National Defence College, Rear Admiral Olotu Olumuyiwa, expressed his gratitude to the COAS for his tremendous support to the College and availing himself to listen to the paper presentation by Colonel Eromosele Lawani, one of the participants.
He asserted that the topic of the paper seeks to enhance equipment viability in the NA, which he noted is an essential requirement for attainment of NA mandate in protecting Nigeria’s territorial integrity, strategic infrastructure, people and core interests.
COAS added that the NA needs to constantly build requisite capacity to maintain equipment, as well as leverage key local and foreign stakeholders to ensure a high rate of operational readiness.
Highpoint of the event was the presentation of a hard copy of the research paper to the COAS by Course 32 President Colonel Saidu Tafida.
