GOC charges soldiers to be combat ready

Maj.-Gen. Taoreed Lagbaja, the General Officer Commanding, 82 Division, Nigerian Army, has charged soldiers to be combat ready and maintain physical fitness.

Lagbaja gave the charge on Monday during the opening ceremony of Inter-Brigade Corporals and Below Competition, 2021, being held At Abakpa Military Cantonment, Enugu.

The GOC said the objectives of the competition were to develop the physical fitness, combat proficiency and further foster spirit-de-corps among the ranks of corporals and below within the Division.

He said the Nigeria Army and, indeed, the Division would continue to make training and re-training its key driver in order to get all officers and soldiers ready for combat deployment.

“As the Nigerian Army continues to professionalise, training has continued to assume greater emphasis.

“Fortunately, at this point in time, we have a Chief of Army Staff who has made training a key objective in his command philosophy,” he said.

Lagbaja noted that the competition would include: weapon handling, obstacle crossing, cross country relay race, map reading, drill, shooting and combat swimming.

He said soldiers remained the bedrock of all sub-unit and units; and “it is a well-known fact that a chain is as strong as its weakest link.”

“We expect a fair competition. We have unbiased umpires to do justice to the competition and they will conduct it with known laid down rules and regulation,” he said.

The four formations under the Division are taking part in the five-day competition.

The formations include: 13 Brigade, Calabar; 14 Brigade, Ohafia; 82 Division Garrison and 44 Engineers/54 Signals Brigade, Enugu.