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 nation’s peace and security.
Shaibu gave the charge on Thursday during the graduation ceremony of participants of the Restore Hope Programme for the 90 Regular Recruit Intake held at the Depot Nigerian Army Shooting Range in Zaria, Kaduna State.
He said Nigeria was currently passing through a critical phase in its history, with criminal groups masquerading as bandits and kidnappers continuing to inflict hardship on citizens through abductions and the destruction of lives and property.
According to the Army Chief, the country’s security challenges have become increasingly complex, requiring 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 were no longer sufficient to address contemporary security threats, stressing the need for adaptability and professionalism among military personnel.
He urged the recruits, who are scheduled 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 completing what he described as a modern and rigorous military 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 additional capabilities aimed at enhancing operational effectiveness and improving the safety of personnel in the field.
Shaibu explained that the Restore Hope initiative was aimed at instilling professionalism, discipline, resilience and loyalty to the Federal Republic of Nigeria, while equipping recruits with the skills needed to tackle evolving security threats.
He expressed confidence that the graduating recruits would contribute significantly to ongoing efforts to restore peace and security across the country.
