The effects of Boko Haram insurgency on the socio-economic development in Nigeria and its corresponding intractable elements in governance which pose serious threats to the corporate existence and unity of the country, were the engaging issues, once again, at the just concluded graduation ceremony of Course 42 of the Armed Forces Command and Staff College, Jaji Military Cantonment, Kaduna State.
At the occasion, Minister of Defence, Major General Bashir Salihi Magashi (rtd) expressed concerns about insurgency threats and tasked the graduating officers to roll up their sleeves for Counter Insurgency and Anti- Banditry war, assuring that federal government would continuously consider the welfare of officers and men as well as invests in building capacity and capability of the Nation’s Armed Forces towards insecurity in parts of the Country.
Magashi who represented President Muhammadu Buhari as Special Guest of Honour at the ceremony expressed satisfaction that the grooming of the Middle level manpower in the Military is receiving what he described as Force Multiplier boost at a time when the country is combating low Intensity Conflict occasioned by non- actors. He therefore tasked the graduands to raise the bar of Counterinsurgency and Anti- banditry war on deployments to the theatres. The Commander-in- Chief of the Armed Forces who acknowledged the exploit of the Nigerian Military in Peace Support Operations, PSO, at global and Regional levels reflected on the trajectory of the Fighting Forces in mitigating COVID-19 pandemic in the Country.
Earlier, the Commandant AFCSC Air Vice Marshal Abubakar Sadiq Liman had admited the graduands into the league of Officers entitled to adorn the prestigious emblem of Pass Staff Course, Psc for short, award after 48 weeks of drillings to attain the professional level of competence. He said the graduands who are Colonel and its equivalent in other Services are good to take up higher responsibility in the honerous task of National Defence architecture, adding that they are proficiently equipped and qualified to carry out any assigned task to accomplish national security aspirations of promoting peace and to end insurgency, banditry and other criminalities facing the nation.
Highlights of the event performed on behalf of President Muhammadu Buhari by the Defence Minister General Magashi(rtd) were presentation of Certificates and awards to the graduands who distinguished themselves in learning and character including the Pen Of Merit won by Sqn Leader KO Eze of NAF/3006. The climax of the Ceremony attended by the Governor of Kaduna State Mallam Nasiru El-Rufai, Chief of Defence Staff, General Abayomi Olonisakin, Service Chiefs and Members of the Diplomatic Corps was the Commissioning of the Hall of Fame edifice by the representative of the Special Guest.
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