The Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Taoreed Lagbaja on Tuesday said the military will join in resolving food crisis in the country.
Speaking in Uyo, Akwa Ibom capital at the opening ceremony of the COAS Combined 2nd and 3rd Quarters Conference, Lagbaja pledged the Army’s resolve to wade in through the review of its agricultural policy.
“Furthermore, the Army Headquarters is reviewing some proposals for partnerships with Ministries, Departments and Agencies of government and reputable private organizations on how best to collaborate to resolve food crisis in the country,” he added.
On the fallout of the recent nationwide hunger protest, the Army Chief stated that the situation was an eye opener that as an Armed Force, they should not only focus on physical security and defense of the nation but that food and social security issues can snowball into physical security challenges.
He said though the situation that led to the protest seemed to have settled, the Nigerian Army understands that the issue of food security was among the factors that led to the protest.
He further said the Nigerian Army currently provide security cover for farmers in critical farming communities in the North East, North West and North Central zones so as to prevent the devastating consequences of a halt in food production in those regions on the entire country’s food supply chain.
“The Nigerian Army will, in the coming days, review its agricultural policy to better position the Nigerian Army Farms and Ranches Limited to significantly boost crop production so that the Army can release grains into the market at highly subsidized rate in support of government efforts.
On the calls for overthrow of democratically elected government, the COAS vowed that the Army would not heed the calls to satisfy some interests, noting that the call for military takeover was majorly coming from young Nigerians who never experienced the era of Nigeria’s extensive military rule.
He emphasised that the Nigerian Army was not ready to lose the “new prestige” it has painstakingly built in the past 25 years by allowing safe democratic rule.
“The Nigerian Army will not allow itself to be used to undemocratically sail some interests to power. As the Service that received the most image bashing as a fallout of previous military interventions in Nigeria, the Nigerian Army is not poised to losing the new prestige it has painstakingly built in the past 25 years, secure, and united,” he said.
Lagbaja noted that the Nigerian Army and its sister services have continued to receive support from the government at both the national and sub-national levels as shown in the recent purchase of 2 BELL UH-1 Huey Helicopters equipped with advanced sensors and enablers to conduct a range of missions, including reconnaissance, surveillance, logistics and medical evacuation, among other functions.
He added that welfare of widows and family members of fallen heroes remains on course.
Lagbaja used the occasion to reveal that the Nigerian Army has acquired other combat enablers such as Mine-Resistant Ambush Protected Vehicles, rifles, and ammunition to strengthen operations and security across the country.
Declaring the event open, the Governor of Akwa Ibom State, Pastor Umo Eno expressed happiness that the conference was held in Akwa Ibom and commended the COAS for the “purposeful direction he has given to Nigerian Army towards meeting its constitutional responsibility.”
Eno equally assured of the state government’s readiness to lend all necessary support to enable the establishment of the proposed Army base in the state as well as other logistics.
