By Celestine Okafor Editor-in-Chief/Defence Correspondent) @CeleOkaf11
The Minister of Defence, Major Gen Bashir Magashi (retired), on Sunday 18 April 2021, visited Maiduguri, Borno State capital, North-East Nigeria, on an assessment tour.
He was accompanied by the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), Gen Lucky Irabor and the Service Chiefs.
Receiving the minister and his team at the Headquarters of Operation LAFIYA DOLE (OPLD) in Maimalari Cantonment, the Theatre Commander (TC ), Maj Gen Farouq Yahaya, lauded the sustained commitment shown to the operation by the Minister, CDS and Service Chiefs, adding that troops were grateful for the Minister’s visit to interact with them.
He noted that immediately after their appointments, the Service Chiefs, led by the CDS, visited the theatre and had been doing so regularly.
Gen Yahaya explained that apart from collective visits by the service chiefs, led by CDS, the Service Chiefs also visited individually to ensure smooth operations.
The Theatre Commander thereafter presented a detailed brief on the operation covering updates, deployments, challenges and projections of the operation.
Similarly, the CDS and Service Chiefs contributed in their remarks, while the Minister conveyed the appreciation of President Buhari for their efforts and sacrifices, assuring continued support for the troops, more equipment and other logistics to OPLD in ending insurgency and indeed other criminalities across the country.
Highlight of the visit include visit to wounded in action troops admitted at 7 Division Medical Services and Hospital where the minister interacted with them. He promised to support the various services to improve on the welfare of troops. NNL.
