Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Maj.-Gen. Taoreed Lagbaja has called for continued support for the Nigerian army in its quest to protect the country’s territorial integrity.

Mr Lagbaja made the call in his goodwill message to Nigerians at the interdenominational church service to mark the 2023 Nigerian Army Day Celebration (NADCEL) at Mogadishu Military Cantonment on Sunday in Abuja.

Mr Lagbaja said the Nigerian army had come a long way since its establishment in 1865, adding that it had lived up to expectations in protecting the country, though not without its challenges.

“I must admit that the nation has faced some security challenges along the way, but the troops have been responding to these challenges across the country.

“Upon my assumption of duty as the 23rd COAS, I want to implore Nigerians to continue to support the army and pledge their unalloyed loyalty of the troops to the constitution and the government of the day,“ Mr Lagbaja said.

Mr Lagbaja said the army had recorded considerable achievements in the fight against insurgency, banditry and other criminality.

“For instance, our coordinated efforts in the North-East theatre under ‘Operation Hadin Kai’ has so far yielded considerable successes.

“As of today, we have over a hundred thousand members of the dreaded Boko Haram and Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) that have surrendered to the Nigerian troops,“ he said.

He further stated that the army also recorded some feats in entrenching democracy in Nigeria.

“The professional manner in which the army has supported the smooth conduct of all the elections in the country since 1999 and displayed unalloyed loyalty to the constitution of Nigeria deserves its support and commendation,“ he said.

Earlier, the acting director of Chaplain Services Protestant, Nigerian Army, Lt.-Col. Bilson Newton commended the Nigerian Army for celebrating yet another anniversary, urging it to redouble its efforts at tackling any security threat to the country headlong.

(NAN)