Army must train, remain fit to fight criminal elements – COAS

The Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lt. Gen. Faruk Yahaya has said the Military must continue to train and remain fit in fighting and combating criminal elements in the country.

COAS said the level of success recently gained in decimating criminalities in the country is attributed to the level of training the Army has embarked on over the years.

“We must maintain this training if we should continue to record operational success against insurgents and other criminal elements in the country”, Gen. Yahaya said recently while speaking at  the closing ceremony of the Nigerian Army Inter Formations Combat Company Cross Country Competition 2023 held at the Small Arms Range Miango, in Jos.

According to him: “To be successful during operations, troops must be fit, have endurance and combat ready to face the adversaries.

“The lessons learnt from the combat competition will go a long way to improve not only the performance of troops in future, but will also serve a means to enhance troops physical and mental well-being towards successes in their future military expenditures”, he said.

He congratulated thebGeneral Officer Commanding 3 Division and Commander Operation Safe Haven, Major General Abdulsalami Bagudu Ibrahim for the successful hosting of the event.

He however also expressed gratitude to President Muhammadu Buhari for his unrelenting support to the Nigerian Army.

Yahaya urged the participants to embrace the culture of individual fitness training and spirit of teamwork.

Our correspondent reports that Participants for the competition were drawn from all the divisions of the Nigerian Army and the competition featured 5 Kilometers combat race through difficult terrains, beam heaving, Sit Up, Push Up, Vertical Rope Climbing as well as Step Up Bench Test and 15 kilometers combat cross country race.

“At the end of the competition, 3 Division emerged 1st in the order of merit, while 2 Division came 2nd and 6 Division took  3rd position”, a statement from the Acting Deputy Director Army Public Relations 3 Division, Lt. Col. Ishaku Takwa, said.

This medium reports that COAS was represented by the General Officer Commanding 3 Division Nigerian Army, Major General Abdulsalami Bagudu Ibrahim.