The Chief of Army Staff, Lt.-Gen. Taoreed Lagbaja, has reiterated the importance of the Nigerian Army Intelligence Corps in the fight against insurgency and other criminal activities.

This, the COAS said, is through its adept intelligence gathering.

The Director, Army Public relations, Maj.-Gen. Onyema Nwachukwu, in a statement on Thursday, said that Lagbaja made the statement while inaugurating facilities at NAIC Headquarters in Asokoro, Abuja.

Mr Lagbaja commended the officers and soldiers of the corps for their invaluable service to the army and the nation at large.

He urged officers and men of the corps to continue to work hard toward its actualisation.

The COAS challenged the personnel to redouble  efforts in discharge of their duties,  adding that the corps played crucial role in the broader framework of national security and intelligence operations.

He assured the corps that he would provide it with requisite equipment, training, and technology to enhance their effectiveness in gathering, analysing, and disseminating requisite intelligence.

According to him, by providing the NAIC with robust support to enable intelligence driven operations, the army will effectively surmount security challenges bedevilling the country.

“A well-equipped and proficient NAIC is essential for maintaining a safer and more secure Nigeria,” he said.

Earlier, the Chief of Military Intelligence (Army), Maj.-Gen. Thompson Ugiagbe, said the NAIC Headquarters office complex required renovation, thus prompting the remodelling initiative.

He added that the gatekeepers’ statue was a common feature of intelligence services worldwide and symbolised the corps’ commitment to honouring the past.

“It also inspires the present, and secures the future through vigilant and dedicated intelligence efforts,’’ he said.

 (NAN)