Insecurity, strain on Army resources –Ihejirika

Chief of Army Staff, Lt.-Gen. Azubuike Ihejirika

The Nigerian Army on Wednesday declared that the current insecurity in the country had put a strain on its resources.

The Army said the increasing wave of ethno-religious violence in parts of the country as well as the bombings in the North had left serious demands on its finances and funds.

Chief of Army Staff, Lt.-Gen. Azubike Ihejirika, stated this during the Nigerian Army Finance Corps Warrant Officers/Senior Non-Commissioned Officers Training Week 2013 in Abeokuta, Ogun State.

The training was entitled ‘Contemporary Security Challenges of the Nigerian Army: the Roles of the Nigerian Army Finance Corps Warrant Officers/Senior Non-Commissioned Officers’.

Ihejirika said the heightening of the violence and insecurity occasioned by the activities of some  non-state actors was straining the Army’s financial resources.

The Army chief, represented by the General Officer Commanding 81 Division of the Nigerian Army, Maj.-Gen. Obi Umahi, identified funding as fundamental to the various efforts aimed at checking the security challenges.

He noted that in the face of other public demands on limited resources, prudent and efficient management and application  of available funds had become imperative if the Army would meet the security challenges.

He said, “No doubt, you are aware of the increasing wave of socio-political and ethno-religious crisis threatening the nation’s security lately. This has assumed a high dimension, witnessing spates of bombings and attacks on Key Points, Vulnerable Points and other strategic areas of interest to the country. This has left serious demands on Nigerian Army resources.

“We also know that funding is fundamental to containing this security challenges. Success in this pursuit therefore calls for prudent and efficient management and application of available funds. I envision an army that will effectively manage its available resources to be able to meet contemporary challenges.”

Meanwhile, the Army on Wednesday said it had devised new balloons for information and intelligence gathering to tackle terrorism and other crimes in the country.

The Director, Lesson Learnt,  Army Transformation and Innovation Centre, Brig.- Gen. Nwokoro Ijioma, stated this at a seminar organised by the ATIC for officers and men of 2 Division, Nigerian Army, Odogbo, Ibadan.

Ijioma, in a lecture entitled, ‘Transforming the Army into a force better able to meet contemporary challenges’, said the ATIC would reposition the force to address new challenges.

He said, “The balloons will be used in information and intelligence gathering. This will help to tackle acts of terrorism. They have since been upgraded.

“The ATIC has been tasked to optimise  and implement the vision of the Chief of Army Staff by providing the lead for improvement.

“The Nigerian Army cannot afford to be left behind in the current revolution into which the force world over have already keyed.”

PUNCH