COAS tasks graduating recruits on fight against banditry, kidnapping

The Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lt.-Gen. Waidi Shaibu, has charged graduating recruits under the Nigerian Army’s Restore Hope initiative to decisively confront bandits, kidnappers and other criminal elements threatening the country’s peace and security.

Shaibu gave the charge on Thursday during the graduation ceremony of participants in the Restore Hope Programme for the 90 Regular Recruit Intake at the Depot Nigerian Army Shooting Range in Zaria, Kaduna State.

The Army Chief said Nigeria is currently facing a critical period, with criminal groups masquerading as bandits and kidnappers inflicting hardship on citizens through abductions and the destruction of lives and property.

According to him, the nation’s security challenges have become increasingly complex and require personnel who are not only courageous but also intelligent, disciplined and strategically minded.

“The security challenges confronting Nigeria today are complex, uncertain and ambiguous. Terrorism, banditry and other asymmetric threats demand not only courage but also intelligence, discipline and strategic thinking,” he said.

Shaibu noted that conventional approaches alone are no longer sufficient to address contemporary security threats, stressing the need for adaptability and professionalism among military personnel.

He urged the recruits, who are expected to be formally inducted into military service in two days, to remain resolute, professional and uncompromising in dealing with criminal elements while strictly adhering to the Rules of Engagement and military ethics.

The COAS congratulated the recruits on successfully completing what he described as a modern and rigorous training programme designed to prepare them for operational realities.

He also assured them that the Nigerian Army had acquired modern combat enablers and was pursuing the procurement of additional capabilities to enhance operational effectiveness and improve the safety of personnel in the field.

Shaibu explained that the Restore Hope initiative was designed to instil professionalism, discipline, resilience and loyalty to the Federal Republic of Nigeria, while equipping recruits with the skills needed to effectively respond to evolving security threats.

He expressed confidence that the graduating recruits would make significant contributions to ongoing efforts to restore peace and security across the country.