Immediate past Chief of Army Staff, Lt. General Kenneth Minimah (rtd) has declared that his actions of sanctioning hundreds of soldiers who reverted to deserting the force, running away from battle and playing the roles of fifth columnists in the wake of the operations to dislodge Boko Haram terrorists from Nigeria territories during ‘Operation Zaman Lafiya’, helped to inspire and rekindle the fighting spirit in the Nigerian military. He said: “I am happy to state that the story is different today and the situation much better than I met it. Today, the country is more secured and stable. The ability of Boko Haram terrorists to confront our security forces in open combat is virtually non-existent. Its leadership is in hiding, afraid for their lives and no longer intimidating the public with their propaganda videos.” Recalling that the situation of the Nigerian Army when he assumed office on January 16, 2014, was one that called for concern, Minimah, who spoke at the pulling out ceremony in his honour said: “As I settled down to work, I was confronted with the decay in the service due to long periods of neglect the army had suffered. “As you would recall, my appointment came at a time our army and indeed the nation was going through one of its worst crises in our history. The level of violence and insecurity unleashed on innocent citizens by Boko Haram terrorists had reached unprecedented heights. There was spate of bombings across the country. Attacks on soft targets such as civilians, and vulnerable communities were on the increase. “The armed forces and security agencies appeared helpless to address the situation and sadly, the nation began to lose confidence in its army and military. The situation was no less grim in the North Central and North Western zones where armed bandits, cattle rustlers and ethnic militias held sway. The nation seemed to be heading towards the much publicized disintegration many had predicted would occur in 2015. “An assessment of the situation revealed that the Nigerian Army needed to harness its capabilities and optimize its capacity to deal with the challenges that bedevilled the nation. I, therefore, prioritized efforts towards enhancing our overall operational readiness through the three pillars of improved training, modernization of equipment and enhancement of troop’s welfare. Above all, I inspired and rekindled fighting spirit in troops backed by military sanctions. “Sensing imminent defeat, Boko Haram has resorted to targeting innocent and vulnerable civilians. I am convinced that this also would soon be a thing of the past as the days of terrorism and insurgency are numbered. In the same vein, I can confidently say that the security threats in the North Central and North Western zones have been sufficiently addressed.” -
