COAS Raises Concerns Over Drug Abuse Among Soldiers in Conflict Zones

The Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lt. General Olufemi Oluyede has expressed concern over the prevailing cases of drug and substance abuse especially amongst Junior and Middle Cadre of frontline soldiers fighting Boko Harm/ISWAP and other terrorists in the North East region.

General Oluyede spoke at a One-Day Joint Security Seminar organized by the Chief of Transformation and Innovation, Major General Sinyinah Nicodemus which took place on Thursday at the Theatre Command Officers’ Mess, Maimalari Cantonment in Maiduguri, Borno State.

Represented by the Theatre Commander North East Joint Task Force ‘Operation Hadin Kai ‘, Major General Abdulsalam Abubakar, the COAS who was also the Special Guest of Honour said, the Seminar themed: ‘ Transformational Leadership and Nigerian Army Operational Effectiveness in a Joint and Multi- Agency Environment for Junior and Mid Cadre’ is timely, as it brings to the fore, the importance of transformational leadership and operational effectiveness; two cardinal aspects of his Command’s Philosophy in building leadership capability among frontline troops.

His words: “It is indeed gratifying to note that the target audience for this seminar are the junior and middle cadre personnel of the Nigerian Army who comprise the tactical level of our operations.

“At this critical level, you serve as frontline commanders, responsible for leading men, sustaining their morale and motivation as well as preserving their fighting spirit.

“To the participants, most of your respective units are currently deployed in the North East theatre of operations and I am glad to note that as leaders, you have been creditably discharging your duties as is expected from you. Nonetheless, there is still more work ahead.

“As you all know, leadership is a critical component of combat power and remains central to the success of every military operation. Therefore, opportunities to learn and lead better, just as this seminar offers, must be maximized and put to judicious use.

“I have also been informed that the issue of drug/substance abuse, one of the impediments to our combat readiness will be addressed during this seminar and I commend this initiative. The Nigerian Army has been at the forefront of the fight against terrorism and insurgency, making immense sacrifices to safeguard the peace and security of our beloved nation.

“However, the dynamic and evolving nature of today’s threat environment demands a holistic approach to leadership and the conduct of our operations. To this end, we must keep our minds open to learning, not only from forums such as this, but from real life experiences.

” I want to commend the efforts of the Chief of Transformation and Innovation (Army) for organizing this important engagement. Let me also express my immense gratitude to the President, Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, His Excellency Bola Ahmed Tinubu, for his steadfast support and strategic
guidance to the Nigerian Army”. Oluyede stated.

Earlier in his welcome address, the Chief of Transformation and Innovation, Major General Sinyinah Nicodemus, represented by the Director Lessons Learnt, Major General Olusegun Abai said, the Seminar is designed to enhance leadership efforts towards repositioning the Nigerian Army to effectively address Regimentation and Discipline amongst personnel.

It is also aimed at institutionalizing mentorship as a framework for raising leaders in the Nigerian Army, stressing that, leadership is a crucial element of combat power in the field and military effective functionality is dependent on this critical component.

General Abai also highlighted the importance of collaboration between the Nigerian Army and the other Services and agencies such as the Nigeria Police Force, National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, among others.

He further explained that, “this Seminar will feature two lectures titled ‘Building the Leadership Capacity of Junior and Mid-Cadre Comds: The Role of Operational Level Commanders in the Nigerian Army’ and ‘Effects of Drug/Substance Abuse on Combat Readiness’ in the Nigerian Army”.

He then urged all participants to put in their best in the prepared packages to achieve a complete appreciation of the intended benefits.