THE Chief of Army Staff, Lt.-Gen. Taoreed Lagbaja on Thursday met with Foreign Defence Advisers and Attaches in Nigeria and called on representatives of allied countries in Nigeria to close ranks with the Nigerian Army in identifying and tackling issues of mutual interest.
The Chief of Defence Intelligence (CDI), Major Gen Emmanuel Undiandeye led the defence attachés form 27 allied countries to an interaction with the COAS.
Lagbaja while commending the attachés for their observations on issues of concern, pledged to take necessary measures to address some of the issues raised during their discussion.
He also assures the neighbouring countries of the Nigerian Army’s commitment to continue to work on a mechanism that would ensure that the free movement of criminals across the borders are curtailed
His words, “We look forward to a fruitful engagement with all other countries to deny the criminal elements and dissident groups from incubating their nefarious activities abroad and bringing them home to perpetrate.
“I look forward to more avenues of engagement, with all the DAs.We will try as much as possible to establish other social avenues and sporting avenues through which we can engage and interact so that we can share ideas and share our experiences towards moving forward the relationship that exists between the Nigerian Army and the various countries that you represent.
“I want to promise you that the Nigerian army is disposed to continue engaging with your various countries. Lines of communication are open”..
In his remarks, the Chief of Defence Intelligence, Maj.-Gen. Undiandeye said the engagement was the first of its kind to ensure that the attachés could discuss and interact in commonality to present their concerns, challenges and interactive issues.
He noted that DIA was the convent and the interchange point upon which the exchanges and interaction with all the attachés, pointing out that once in a while there were requests, demands and efforts by individual attaché to directly interact with the services.
The Indian Defence Attache, Col. Legha Romi, who spoke on behalf of the DAs, thanked the COAS for the opportunity for a combined interaction with the defence attachés, which he said, had never been done before, urging them to be frank and constructive in their contributions.
He said the attachés had been interacting with the DIA as well as the Army headquarters and the other service headquarters over the years, noting that the combined engagement was something different and an opportunity for them to learn amongst themselves as well for mutual benefit among the countries
