CDS to Army: You Must Remain Loyal to the President

•Wike sets up N30m fund for family of Col Elekele killed by Boko Haram

Ernest Chinwo in Port Harcourt and Kingsley Nwezeh in Abuja

The Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), General Abayomi Olonisakin, yesterday charged graduating cadets of the Direct Short Service Course of the Nigerian Army (DSSC) to remain loyal to President Mohammadu Buhari.

The new officers were conferred with the rank of lieutenant in the Nigerian Army by the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), Gabriel Olonisakin, a general.
He said the Nigerian Army was still grappling with fleeing terrorists who engage in acts of suicide bombing.

The Army Headquarters admitted yesterday that insurgents killed a colonel, captain and three soldiers in an attack in Jakana, Yobe State. Though other military sources said more soldiers were killed in the attack.

This is coming as Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State yesterday instituted a N30 million fund for the family of Colonel Ken Elemele, who was one of the officers killed in Boko Haram ambush in Yobe State Wednesday.

Nigerian Army School of Infantry (NASI), Jaji, Kaduna State, Gen. Olonisakin charged them to brace up to the service of their fatherland, saying that their preparedness to contribute to national security and defence of the territorial integrity of Nigeria was expected to be at a higher level.
He said, “As professional officers who will shortly be commissioned into the Nigerian Army, each and every one of you have various roles to play based on your expertise and previous experiences, in curtailing the country’s security challenges.

“As junior leaders, you will be confronted with various challenges. The Nigerian Army expects you to add value to the system by being innovative and providing objective leadership to the men that will be placed under your watch.

“You are expected to exhibit complete and absolute loyalty to the President, Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Nigeria, as provided in the Constitution and the Oath of Allegiance which will be administered to you shortly”, he said.

Olonoshakin said: “You are also expected to be guided by existing regulations in your personal and professional conduct.
“I need to advise you that any act of disloyalty, disobedience to constituted authority, insubordination and other unprofessional conduct will attract appropriate sanctions,”.

The CDS also admonished the newly-commissioned officers to understand and abide by the extant condition of service of the armed forces, assuring them that they would be exposed to further training.

He said the entry of the new officers into the armed forces was significant considering the various security challenges facing the country at the moment.
The CDS further said, “you are entering into the army at a period when we are consolidating on the gains of years of confronting various security challenges in the country.

“The Nigerian Army, in conjunction with the other services and other security agencies, have been engaged in intensive combat against terrorist groups, especially in the North-East through Operation Lafiya Dole.

“It also includes our involvement in multinational operations in the Lake Chad Basin under the auspices of the Multinational Joint Task Force (MN/TF). The Army is equally involved in anti-banditry operations in various parts of the country, especially the North-West, North-Central and the South Western region”.

He noted that “in the South-South, the activities of miscreants who are bent on crippling the economy by engaging in wanton destruction of oil and gas infrastructure constitute a major security challenge.

“To address these security challenges, the President, Commander-in-Chief, authorized the conduct of series of operations across the country. In all these operations, especially in the North-East, we have made steady and deliberate progress.

“However, we still contend with fleeing terrorists engaging in acts of suicide bombing with Improvised Explosive Devices (1503) and other heinous crimes,” he said.

Gen Olonisakin commended President Muhammadu Buhari for his continuous support to the armed forces, stating that the successes of the military in various operations would not have been possible without the unrelenting support of the president

He also commended the Chief of Army Staff, Tukur Buratai, for his resilience, dedication and doggedness in providing effective leadership to the Nigerian Army.

He said the Nigerian Army has demonstrated outstanding professionalism in all its operations and in improving the welfare of officers and men under the current transformational leadership of the Chief of Army Staff.

“I, therefore, urge you to keep up the good work. Once again, congratulations on this remarkable achievement,” he said.

He told the new officers: “you are entering into the army at a period when we are consolidating on the gains of years of confronting various security challenges in the country.

“The Nigerian Army, in conjunction with the other services and other security agencies, have been engaged in intensive combat against terrorist groups, especially in the North-East through Operation Lafiya Dole.

“It also includes our involvement in multinational operations in the Lake Chad Basin under the auspices of the Multinational Joint Task Force (MN/TF). “The Army is equally involved in anti-banditry operations in various parts of the country, especially the North-West, North-Central and the South Western region.

Meanwhile, Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State yesterday set up an educational trust fund to train the four children of the Late Colonel Ken Elemele, who was killed in a Boko Haram ambush between Yobe and Borno last Wednesday.

The deceased army officer hailed from Rivers State.

The governor said that the fund would take off with an initial seed money of N30million.

Governor Wike described the death of Late Colonel Elemele as a sad loss to Rivers State and the entire country.

Speaking during a condolence visit to the family in Port Harcourt, Governor Wike who was represented by the Secretary to the State Government, Dr Tammy Danagogo, said that the Rivers State Government would stand with the family.

“This is a sad loss of an illustrious son of Rivers State. We were expecting the emergence of another General before this unfortunate incident.

“Please accept my personal condolence and that of the good people of Rivers State. The Rivers State Government shares this grief with the family. We will stand with you through this period “, he said.

The governor prayed God to console the widow and her children, saying that only God would fill the gap created by the sudden death of Late Col Elemele.

“We urge you to put your trust in God. Be strong for your children. God will always support you at this time”, he said.

He said the Rivers State Government will be in touch with the family to ensure that their immediate needs are taken care of.

The widow of late Colonel Ken Elemele, Mrs. Chioma Elemele, thanked the Rivers State Governor for his kindness.