The immediate past Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Faruk Yahaya, has said that he is leaving the Army better than it was when he assumed office in 2021.
According to him, Boko Haram was at its peak when he was appointed army chief by former President Muhammadu Buhari on May 27, 2021.
While speaking at his handover ceremony to the newly appointed Chief of Army Staff COAS, Major General Taoreed Abiodun Lagbaja, at the Defence Headquarters in Abuja, Yahaya urged the army to sustain the ongoing gains over various security threats, including terrorists, bandits, and crude oil thieves.
The outgoing COAS asked them not to be distracted by what he described as some unpatriotic elements, but to always be apolitical and professional.
In his remarks, the new Chief of Army Staff, Major General Taoreed Abiodun Lagbaja, stated that the Army had witnessed unprecedented prudent management of resources and procurement of military hardware under his predecessor. He promised to improve on the legacy of his predecessor, urging those who are disengaging from service not to deny the Nigerian Army the opportunity to tap from their experiences whenever the need calls for it.
Lagbaja is the 23rd Chief of Army Staff.
