The Global Peace and Life Rescue Initiative (GOPRI), a civil society group with interest in peace building in Nigeria, has commended the Chief of Army Staff, Lt. General Farouq Yahaya, over success achieved by the Army in counter-terrorism war.
The organisation said it was elated that the Nigerian Army boss lived up to expectations of Nigerians within few months of his appointment by President Muhammadu Buhari.
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Executive Director of the organization, Ambassador Melvin Ejeh, said on Tuesday in a statement that the Army boss deserve commendation for his many achievements since his appointment.
He, however regretted that despite the tremendous achievements being recorded by the Nigerian Military, saboteurs were busy instigating the public with the view of painting negative pictures about the Nigerian Military, especially the Army.
Ejeh said they have concluded arrangements to support the Army with initiative aimed at not only boosting its morale in the counter-terrorism war but also change public perception about it.
“The programme, tagged, “Troop Support Initiative” would soon launch. The initiative was aimed at rallying support for the Nigerian Military, particularly the Nigerian Army in their continuous selfless roles to keep our dear and beloved country united.
“This programme is the first phase of a civil society initiative to attract unbiased supports for the Nigeria Army and our military who are working tirelessly and sacrificially in the defence of our dear nation. This initiative becomes not only imperative but also expedient because of continuous, deliberate malicious, cyber, physical and emotional coordinated attacks on our Army,” Ejeh said.
He said that misguided social media reports, activities of desperate politicians’ inadequate media coverage, to ethnic, religious, political sentiment, some international media conspiracies have contributed immensely in giving the Army an unfair outlook.
He said, “This is despite the quantifiable sacrifice of our gallant officers and soldiers in the discharge of their sworn duties of protecting the nation’s territorial integrity. It has become worrisome to us that some international organizations and local news media agencies have deliberately targeted the Army in their blackmails aimed at setting the Nigerian public in particular and the outside world in general against the Nigerian Army despite their successes and sacrifices for the unity of the country.
“We are, therefore, calling on all Nigerians, home and in the diaspora, to come together irrespective of their political, religious and ethnic differences to support our Army and other security agencies in the fight against crimes and insurgents in the interest of national unity. This is most important given that we have not just one country but also one Army.”
He also commended the Chief of the Air Staff, Air Marshal Isiaka Oladayo Amao as well as the Chief of Naval Staff, Rear Admiral Awwal Zubairu Gambo, for their synergies in dealing with trouble makers by downgrading the Boko Haram/ISWAP insurgency and rooting out banditry.
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