Insurgency: Retired Officers Behind Troops In North-East, Says Ex-Lagos Military Administrator, Marwa

The former Military Administrator of Lagos State, Brigadier-General Buba Marwa (retd), has said that retired military officers in the country were behind troops fighting insurgency in Nigeria’s North-East.

Marwa whose community, Michika in Adamawa State had witnessed several Boko Haram attacks in recent times, noted that troops were fighting under difficult conditions like bad weather and marshy terrain replete with mines.

Speaking as a guest during the 2019 West African Social Activities of the Army Headquarters Garrison, which held at Mogadishu Cantonment, Abuja, over the weekend, Marwa whose community, Michika in Adamawa State had witnessed several Boko Haram attacks in recent times, noted that troops were fighting under difficult conditions like bad weather and marshy terrain replete with mines.

He said, “We retired officers appreciate the difficulty of the counter-insurgency operation. We recognize the difficulty, commitment, and doggedness as well as sacrifices of our troops.

“Please be aware and know that we retired officers are 100 percent with you and are ready at all times to offer our advice if needed in tackling the counter-insurgency operation. We also appreciate the widows and their families for the sacrifices.”

Describing the 2019 AHQ Garrison WASA as one of the best he had witnessed both as a serving and retired military officer, General Marwa advised youths in military barracks to be hardworking, religious, respectful and follow the path of discipline.

The Commander, Army Headquarters Garrison, Maj.-Gen. James Gwazs Kalifa Myam, in his address, said the Army Headquarters Garrison had a very successful year 2019.

According to him, they were prioritizing the welfare of personnel so as to boost morale and produce better results in the fight against Boko Haram terrorists.

He said, “The Command has continued to provide operational, administrative and logistics support to AHQ departments, formations, and units, as well as to conduct training activities throughout the year in line with the COAS’ Training Directive and NA Forecast of Events.

“This is in spite of the numerous security challenges confronting the country at this time in history and the arduous multiple tasks the command had to undertake within the year.

“During the year, the command successfully executed annual medical and physical efficiency test; annual range classification; corporals and below as well as warrant officers and senior non-commissioned officers’ competitions. Also, the Command successfully conducted the Operations Planning Cadre for middle-level officers in order to horn their skills at operations planning.

“The Army Headquarters Garrison also within Year 2019, made significant strides in terms of welfare in the form of administration of personnel and rehabilitation of some living quarters. Worthy of mention is the taking on board of Phase 1 of the Muhammadu Buhari Cantonment, which was recently constructed by the Army Headquarters and commissioned by the Minister of Defence in a bold move to mitigate the acute accommodation challenges confronting personnel of the NA in Abuja.

“Similarly, an ultra-modern housing estate was acquired and tastily furnished at Kurudu for NA officers in Abuja by the Army Headquarters.

“In terms of logistics, the Army Headquarters Garrison formations and units are proud beneficiaries of the issuance of several states of the art office equipment as well as repair and refurbishment of all the unserviceable vehicles on their inventory currently being undertaken by the Command Engineering Depot courtesy of the COAS.

“Indeed, we make bold to state that no NA formation has had it so good like the Army Headquarters Garrison, in terms of operational, administrative and logistics support of the COAS.”