Group hails Buhari’s pledge to equip military

A civil society group, the Concerned Professionals Congress (CPC), has called for more civilian support for the armed forces while endorsing President Muhammadu Buhari’s Independence Day pledge to address the critical needs of service personnel in the various military operations across the country.

President Buhari in the nationwide broadcast, praised the gallant soldiers for the steady onslaught on the terrorist scourge of Boko Haram in the North East, saying that the nation owes them a debt of gratitude for paying the supreme price to enhance national security, stability and sovereignty.

The group’s Chief Media Strategist, Mr. Emeka Nwankpa and its Northern Regional Rapporteur, Mallam Baba Al-Kasim in a statement in Abuja on Thursday, paid tribute to the courageous personnel of the military and other security and intelligence agencies for successfully combating the insurgents in the North East, noting that without their selfless efforts the region would have since been devastated.

The group lauded the President for the new pledge to increase attention to the critical needs of service men and women across the country, describing the gesture as another vote of presidential confidence in the ability and capacity of the nation’s armed forces to defend Nigeria’s territorial integrity.

The group commended the President for choosing this year’s Independence Day to appreciate the contributions of the gallant service men to the nation’s security, stability and sovereignty.

“We hail the President for choosing the auspicious occasion of the Independence Day broadcast to appreciate our armed forces. It is the most appropriate moment. The President’s kind remarks especially the fresh pledge to enhance their working conditions is commendable,’’ Nwankpa said.

The group urged Nigerians to complement the President’s gesture by giving their full and unflinching support to the armed forces and other security and law -enforcement agencies to keep the country safe, secure and stable, saying the nation is blessed with a globally-rated courageous, professional and gallant military to defend the country and the Nigerian people.

The advocacy group restated its confidence in the resilience of the armed forces currently led by the Chief of Defence Staff, General Abayomi Olonisakin and the service chiefs to guarantee national security and stability in spite of unrelenting threats and challenges across the country.

“Our confidence in the current military leadership of the Chief of Defence Staff, General Abayomi Olonisakin is high. His team has successfully changed the dynamics of the fight against insurgency, terrorism, kidnapping, armed banditry, oil theft and other criminalities after President Muhammadu Buhari appointed them. They have done our nation very proud,’’ Nwankpa added.