By Sumaila Ogbaje
The Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lt.-Gen. Taoreed Lagbaja, has tasked the Directorate of Islamic Affair to continue to provide moral guidance, emotional support, and foster resilience among troops to enhance their performances on the field.
Lagbaja, represented by the Chief of Transformation and Innovation, Maj -Gen. Zakari Abubakar, made the call at the opening of the Annual Training Week/Conference of the Directorate on Monday in Abuja.
The theme of the event is, “Enhancing Nigerian Army Personnel Effective Performance Through Authentic Islamic Teachings on Warrior Ethos Within a Joint Environment.”
He said the desire to strengthen effective religious and spiritual training in the army was ideally suited to enhance performance and effectiveness in joint operations, adding that spiritually grounded personnel were well coordinated and disciplined officers and men in the field.
The COAS said the spiritual leaders in the army were expected to help uplift the morale of troops and equip them with the required tools that would enhance their spiritual virtues.
“I believe you all are aware of the changing character of warfare and contemporary security challenges facing our beloved nation and the world at large.
“As an Institution, you are expected to support the government efforts towards fighting insecurity and violent extremism using diverse methods to sustain the successes so far achieved by the army in the current fight against banditry and insurgency.
“This reinforces the need for us to be better prepared with new ideas to effectively analyse information in support of combat troops, a role in which Imams play a crucial part.
“By providing moral guidance, emotional support, and fostering resilience, Imams help troops process experiences and maintain mental and spiritual readiness, thereby enhancing overall mission effectiveness during operations,” he said.
The Director of Islamic Affairs Nigerian Army, Brig.-Gen. Usman Musa, said the training would serve as a catalyst for the realistic efforts of the directorate in playing its role of spiritual leadership.
Musa said the directorate had continued to impart authentic islamic teachings on the spiritual dimension of being a soldier and the need to defend the nation, people, their properties, dignity and honour at all times.
This, according to him, will in no small measure bring out the best in the troops in all theatre of operations.
He said that training had remained the bedrock of the army, adding that the directorate had sustained its efforts in line with world best practices, to have well-informed, highly intellectual and decent Imams. (NAN)
