Governor Nasir El-Rufa’i has called for sustained operations by the Nigerian Army into bandits’ enclaves to finish them off in Kaduna.

Mr El-Rufa’i made the call at the opening of the Nigerian Army 2022 Combat Arms Training Week at Jaji Military Cantonment in Kaduna.

The combat arms are the infantry and armour corps of the army, directly involved in battle.

Mr El-Rufa’i, represented by Samuel Aruwan, commissioner for internal security and home affairs, said sustained operations into terrorists’ enclaves would reduce numerous security challenges impeding national development.

“Nigeria’s history of unity, peace and progress cannot be written without giving outstanding credit to the Nigerian Army,” Mr El-Rufa’i said.

He also called for a holistic review of  collaborative security strategy at all levels, and the right attitude among all stakeholders.

“The current challenges demand that we all rejuvenate, calibrate and strive diligently to sustain optimal levels of cooperation. Anything less than a fully collaborative spirit may turn our best efforts into liabilities, instead of assets to the entire security architecture,” explained the Kaduna governor. “With the current posture of the Nigerian Army, I am optimistic that the security challenges bedevilling the nation will be addressed within the shortest time possible, through effective training such as this.”

The governor commended the army for forestalling further damage during the recent bandits’ attack on passengers aboard a Kaduna-bound train from Abuja in March.

The commander of the infantry corps, Maj.-Gen. Victor Ezugwu, said the training was organised to appraise the activities of the manoeuvre arms in their quest to achieve the army’s mission.

Mr Ezugwu said the event underscored the increasing awareness of the need to review tactical level operations as prerequisites for the attainment of the operational imperatives of the army.

(NAN)