The Defence Minister, Mansur Dan-Ali, has charged the military to remain apolitical and be loyal to constituted authority in the course of their duty to the nation.
Dan-Ali gave the charge Wednesday at the graduation of 67 graduates of Course 2/2018 at Army war College.
The minister, who was represented by General Gabriel Olonisakin, the Chief of Defence Staff, further urged the participants to put all they had learned into use wherever they found themselves in order to justify the enormous resources deployed to give them such a world- class training.
He hoped the training at the college would ultimately translate to having a highly professional and proficient Nigeria Army, which will defend the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Nigeria in fulfillment of its constitutional role.
Dan-Ali said the Federal Government and, indeed, Defence Headquarters would continue to support the Nigerian Army in its quest to continue to professionalise.
Reiterating the importance of quality training in the Nigerian Army, the minister said Army War College was now playing a critical role in educating, motivating and professionalising operational level officers, thereby turning them into effective and efficient operational level leaders.
According to him, the college has also been very useful in the development of senior officers of other security agencies, such as the Police, Federal Road Safety Corps, FRSC, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, NSCDC, and the Nigeria Immigration Service, among others, which form the nucleus at the operational level of their various agencies.
Earlier in his welcome address, Maj Gen EJ Enenche, the Commandant AWCN, had noted that the successful conduct of Army War College Course 2/2018 was centred on the vision, determination and decisiveness of the Chief of Army Staff, Lt Gen TY Buratai, who placed premium on the success of the course.
He said the remarkable effort of the COAS had inspired learning in the college, adding that the participants have been found worthy both in character and learning.
Highlight of the graduation ceremony include the presentation of the Best College Paper Award, Overall Best Inter-Agency Participant Award and the Overall Merit Awards.
Col. Moyo Akin-Ojo emerged the overall Merit Award, carting away the COAS Golden prize, while Colonel Olakunle Nafiu and Colonel Momanie Edide emerged the second and third in order of merit respectively, Col. Akin-Ojo also won the best paper award while ACP Kene Onwuemelie won the over-all Best Inter-Agency Participant award.
