WE HAVE NOT BEEN SERVED THE COURT ORDER OVER ELECTIONS: CHIEF OF ARMY STAFF

Chief of Army Staff, Lt. General Yusuf Buratai has said that the Nigerian Army has not been served with the copy of the court Order banning soldiers from engaging in monitoring role during elections, adding that it is only when the army authority is served with the relevant papers that he would be in a position to comment on that.

General Buratai gave the hint at the Government House Owerri when he paid courtesy call on Governor Rochas Okorocha on Friday, March 18, 2016 with other Senior Military Officers including the GOC, 82 Division of the Nigeria Army Enugu, Major-General Attahiru.

Receiving General Buratai and his team, Governor Rochas Okorocha told him to give approval for the Army to build a Military School in the state, assuring that the state government would provide the land and other logistics.

Governor Okorocha also complained that Imo state does not have her indigenes in the Army, and said that something must have gone wrong with the quota allocated to the state over the years, commending General Buratai for the able way he has been piloting the affairs of the Nigerian Army since he took over as the Chief of Army Staff.

According to Governor Okorocha, General Buratai had worked very hard from the ranks to become the Chief of Army Staff, remarking that the way he had conducted military activities as the Chairman of the Joint Task force in Port Harcourt some time ago projected him as a very serious military officer who has all it takes to lead the army.

His words “it is also on record at the moment that the soldiers have given a deadly blow to the Boko Haram terrorists. And that feat would not have been possible without the doggedness of the Chief of Army Staff who stooped low to join the troops in the bush to fight the terrorists. To say the least, the army has been well represented.”

The governor appealed to the Chief of Army Staff to send more operational vehicles and other logistics to the 34 Field Artillery Brigade Obinze to enable them perform their role more effectively especially now Imo has become the fastest growing city in the country outside Lagos and Abuja.

The Imo Governor further stated, “we have watched with keen interest what is happening in the North-east. We want to encourage you and your men for the manner with which you have tackled the problem of Boko Haram head-on and today, Nigerians are singing a better song than what it used to be in the past.”

The Chief of Army Staff had in addition told the governor that they were in the state on familiarization visit to the Army Brigade in the state with a view to knowing their challenges, adding that such visit had been delayed by the situation in the North-east which has kept him busy in the area.

General Buratai also expressed appreciation for the support the state government has given to the army brigade in terms of logistics which had contributed to the stable security situation in the state, stressing that the army is winning the fight against the Boko Haram insurgents in the North-East, and that the issue of Boko Haram terrorists would soon become a thing of the past.

He also pledged that those displaced by the Boko Haram attacks would soon get respite, and equally called on kidnappers and armed robbers in the state to have a change of heart or be ready to be flushed out by the army, announcing that before the end of the month he would send five operational vehicles to the Army Brigade in the state while more will come later.


Sam Onwuemeodo
Chief Press Secretary to the Governor

Rivers, if una get ear make una hear, make una no allow Wike and Amaechi use una head

wow Chief of Army Staff, Lt. General Yusuf Buratai has said that the Nigerian Army has not been served with the copy of the court Order banning soldiers from engaging in monitoring role during elections, adding that it is only when the army authority is served with the relevant papers that he would be in a position to comment on that.

ok we are observing.