BY ANKELI EMMANUEL, Sokoto –
The General Officer Commanding (GOC), 8th Division, Sokoto, Major General, Usman Yusuf has reassured that the Nigeria Army would not rest until total peace is attained in every part of the country.
Gen Yusuf who spoke on Sunday at the Interdenominational Sevice held at St Bathlomew Church in Giginya Barracks as part of the activities lined up for the 2021 Army Day’s celebration, further appealed to soldiers to continue with their commitment until the non state actors against the country are defeated.
In his welcome address, The GOC, who was represented by the Commander’s Division Supply and Transport, Brigadier General Mathias Agada Ameh, noted that the Army Day celebration was a yearly event held to remember the historic civil war and the subsequent reconciliation.
“”The Nigeria Army Day celebration is an annual event which was first celebrated on the 6th of July 1978 in solemn rememberance of that historic first shot on 6th July 1967 which marked the commencement of the country’s 30 months civil war to keep the country one”
While noting that, the war was tragic, the GOC added that the reconcilation afterwards has been instrumental to strenghtening national unity.
Gen Yusuf also reiterated that, “The Army Day celebration is an event where we recollect our successes and giant achivements of the Nigerian Army in the fight against on-going insurgency, terrorism, banditry, cattle rustling, kidnapping, pipeline vandalism amongst other several other ills bedeveling our society”.
In the series of prayers for the country held by different officers of the 8th Div, they decried how unsecured Nigeria has become to a point that the Nigeria Army now becomes scared of even wearing uniforms to their respective villages.
Speaking in his homily, the Chaplain, of 8th Div, Maj (Rev Father), Philip Okoli said they have gathered to once again thank God for seeing them through in the last one year.
According to him, the importance of thanking God cannot be over emphasized, adding that: “Whenever I reflect on the successes of the Nigerian Army despite the challanges here and there, we can only but say God we thank you.
He also urged wives and children of the officers to continue to pray for their husbands as they continue to labour day and night to secure the territorial integrity of the country.
In the Interdenominational Sevice, both Brig General Matthias Ameh who represented the GOC and the Garisson Commander, Brig Gen Ralph Nnebeife took the first and second readings respectively.
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