Chief of Army Staff attends Christmas church service with troops

By Yusuf Adua

The Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lt.-Gen. Tukur Buratai attended this year’s Christmas church service with troops of Operation Lafiya Dole at the Nigerian Army Special Forces School, Bunu Yadi in Yobe state.

Buratai, represented at the Military Chapel by the Chief of Training and Operations (Army), Maj.-Gen. Nuhu Angbazo lauded the military men’s commitment and gallantry in the war against insurgency and banditry in the North-East throughout the year.

Buratai said the year 2020 started on a promising note before the country went under strict lockdown restrictions as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic in March.

To him, the security challenges across the country brought about an expansion of its counter-insurgency operations and civil-military coordination activities during the year.

The COAS felt that the Nigerian Army was able to quickly adapt to the COVID-19 restrictions and map out modalities that kept its personnel engaged in counter-insurgency operations in the North East, while other theatres of operations continued to record slick successes even in the face of daunting challenges.

“In all these, I am deeply encouraged by the display of loyalty of our gallant troops and I commend you for your determined resilience towards defeating all identified threats to our national security”, he said.

He did urge the gallant army not to relent in their efforts and pay hearty tribute to the departed heroes who paid the supreme sacrifice in the service to defending Nigeria.

“For the families of the departed as well as to our injured personnel,” the security man of honour said “I say you are not alone.”