The Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lt.-Gen. Olufemi Oluyede, has charged troops of 402 Special Forces (SF) Brigade to project offensives against terrorists, insurgents, and criminals within their area of operational responsibility.

Mr Oluyede gave the charge during an operational visit to the Brigade in Kaduna on Monday.

This is contained in a statement by the director, army public relations, Maj.-Gen. Onyema Nwachukwu, made available to journalists in Abuja.

The COAS, who acknowledged the challenges confronting the troops, pledged to resolve them expeditiously.

He reaffirmed his commitment to improving troops’ welfare, saying that he would ensure that every Nigerian Army soldier was well-catered for and properly accommodated.

The army chief also charged the brigade’s officers to be exemplary by courageously leading their troops to surmount the security challenges in their area of operational responsibility.

He commended the troops for their laudable performance in ensuring the safety of the Kaduna-Abuja road and rail corridor.

He also commended the troops of the brigade, for the operational successes so far recorded and charged them to sustain the momentum.

He added that the fact that every unit and formation needed the services of the SF brigade was a testament to their exceptional performance.

The visit is in furtherance of the COAS’ commitment to boosting the morale of troops and ensuring their effectiveness in combating security challenges in defence of the country.

The COAS was accompanied by the commandant, the Nigerian Defence Academy, some principal staff officers of the Army Headquarters, and the General Officer Commanding 1 Division during the operational visit.

(NAN)