By Sumaila Ogbaje
The Chief of Army Staff, Lt.-Gen. Faruk Yahaya, has challenged the Nigerian Army Heritage and Future Centre (NAHFC) to proffer solutions to identified lapses in the operations of the army.
Faruk gave the directive at the centre’s inaugural lecture and orientation programme, on Friday in Abuja.
The lecture with the topic ‘From Colonial Occupation to a National Force, Nigerian Army Past Experience, Present Realities and Future Prospects’, was delivered by Prof. Abayomi Akinyeye.
He said the growing threats to national security by non-state actors made him to urgently reposition the Nigerian army with a view to effectively defeat the threats and contain the myriad of security challenges.
Yahaya said the centre should serve as “loyal opposition” with the mission of serving as a research organisation for the army through formulation and development of policy frameworks.
“Other roles and responsibilities of the centre include developing plans for the entrenchment and preservation of army heritage.
“Monitoring the implementation of bilateral agreements that affect the Nigerian army and institutionalising and mainstreaming novel solutions to its tactical, operational, administrative and logistics challenges.
“In addition to these responsibilities, the centre will regularly receive list of key strategic issues from Army Headquarters for consideration while also supporting the research and development efforts of the Nigerian army,” he said.
The COAS expressed the hope that the thought-provoking discourse during the lecture would “kickstart and give direction to the future activities of this centre”.
The Director-General, NAHFC Maj.-Gen. Kamila Kadiri, said that the Nigerian army has had very rich heritage and history, founded on its successful prosecution of the Nigerian civil war and several operations within and outside the country.
Kadiri however said appropriate lessons had not been drawn from such history to improve the current and future operations of the army.
He said that global trends and practices necessitated the establishment of the center to articulate strategies for continuous modernisation of the army and better means of fighting and winning land battles.
According to him, it has become pertinent to organise the maiden lecture and orientation for the faculty members recently posted to the center to be able to achieve its objectives.
“It is believed that this occasion would lay a solid foundation for a seamless take-off of the center in line with its mission and vision,” he added.
Among those present were former Chief of Army Staff, retired Lt.-Gen. Azubuike Ihejirika, and retired Lt.-Gen. Tukur Buratai, represented by former Chief of Policy and Plans (Army), retired Lt.-Gen. Lamidi Adeosun, as well as retired and serving top military officers. (NAN)
