The Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lieutenant General Olufemi Oluyede, has conducted an assessment of the military formations in Babanla community, Ifelodun local government area of Kwara state on the strategy deployed against recent banditry and kidnapping in the area.
In a statement by the youth group in the community, under the aegis of the Babanla Youths for Sustainable Development (BYSD), the people appreciated the COAS’s visit and commended the ongoing military’s dedication to restoring peace in Babanla community.
Lt. Gen. Oluyede appreciated Oba of Babanla, Alhaji Aliyu Alabi Adegboyega Yusuf, for providing necessary support for the troops in the community in the interest of national unity and development, assuring the community that the troops will eliminate all forms of criminality and ensure that no threats gain ground in Kwara state.
He charged indigenes and residents who have vacated the community on the heels of the security challenges ravaging the town to return home as soon as possible, assuring the people that the security forces have recorded outstanding success in their quest to flush out the bandits and restore peace in the community.
The youths, under the umbrella of the BYSD appreciated the COAS’s visit and commended the ongoing military’s dedication to restoring peace in Babanla.
They reassured the army of their continued support in the fight against criminal elements terrorizing the area.
The group also acknowledged the commendable role that Governor Abdulrahman Abdulrasaq played in the deployment of the 22 Armoured BDE Step-Up Headquarters in Babanla towards strengthening the security of lives and property in the area and beyond.
The COAS visit is expected to bolster the troops’ morale and enhance their operational capabilities. The move is seen as a decisive step towards addressing the growing insecurity in the area and beyond.
During the assessment tour, the COAS inspired troops at the 22 Armored Brigade Step-Up Headquarters in Babanla and its environs.
The COAS, who landed in Babanla around 16:05, was received by the GOC 2 Division of the Nigerian Army, Major General Chinedu Nnebeife, as well as the Commander of the 22 Armored Brigade, Brigadier General Ezra Barkins, and his troops. The Army chief assessed the security situation and engaged with troops on the frontlines of the counter-insurgency operations in the Babasango area of the town.
Addressing troops of the 22 Armored BDE Step-Up Headquarters, the COAS tasked them to intensify efforts and speedily end terrorism and banditry in the area, while acknowledging the personal sacrifices made by the soldiers, in what he described as ‘the highest form of patriotism to the nation’.