The Chief Of Army Staff Major General Taoreed Abiodun Lagbaja says the fight against Oil theft and oil bunkery in the Niger Delta remains one of the major priorities of his administration based on the renewed hope agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu
He stated this during a media interaction with selected top media executives including the Editor In Chief of CKNNews Chris Kehinde Nwandu in Ibadan on Tuesday as part of the activities marking this year's Nigerian Army Remembrance Day Celebration and 160 years anniversary the Nigerian Army .
The theme of this year's event is
" Sound Administration, A Panacea For Effective Military Operations "
The event which was also attended by top brass of the Army made up of GOCs and Army Commandants was the first media interaction of Gen Lagbaja since his appointment as Chief of Army Staff.
Gen Lagbaja stated that the welfare and training of soldiers will also be a priority policy of his administration
On the issue of banditry and insecurity in some parts of the country, Gen Lagbaja said he'll sustain the policies of his predecessor by bringing insurgency to the barest minimum not only in the North East , North West and the South West but in every part of the country
He stated that there has been a reduction in the level of insecurity across the country in the last one year
Gen Lagbaja said inter agency collaboration will be effectively utilized under his watch
According to him , this formed part of the order of President Bola Tinubu during his first meeting with the newly appointed Service Chiefs in Abuja
Hear him,
" Fortunately for me , the Chief of Air Staff and Chief Of Naval Staff were my coursemates at the NDA "
We did not only graduate the same year , we were also in the same hall during our school days .
The current Chief of Defence Major General Chris Musa was also from the same hall with us although he was our senior
With this existing friendship between all of us that has lasted several years, you can be rest assured that we shall work in total harmony to achieved desired goals for Nigeria "
The week long activity commenced on Friday with a Jumat Service and Church Service on Sunday
Other activities lined up for the week long event includes commissioning of various projects executed by the Army , an Annual Lecture and Book Launch
The event will be rounded up on Thursday with a Gala Nite at the Conference hall of University of Ibadan
The Special Guest of Honor is President Bola Ahmed Tinubu