Brigadier General Mohammed Aminu Abdullahi has Tuesday 11 July 2023 assumed command as the 38th Commandant Depot Nigerian Army Zaria Kaduna state.

in his valedictory remarks the outgone Commandant Major General Peter Malla thanked officers and soldiers of Depot NA for their support in his ten months tenure as the commandant. He therefore urged them to extend same gesture to his successor. .

He said that during his tour of duty, deliberate efforts were made to drive the administrative, training and logistics activities of Depot Nigerian Army, in the direction that conform to the contemporary and anticipated future threats bedeviling the nation.

He said the rejigging of the training activities was aimed at ensuring that the young able-bodied Nigerians being chunked out of Depot Nigerian Army were well trained in accordance with the reality of the contemporary operating environment of the Nigerian Army so as to enhance their readiness to confront the odious tasks that awaits them in the field. He thanked the COAS, Taoreed Lagbaja for all the support he has rendered to Depot NA during his tenure as the Commandant.

In his remarks, the incoming Commandant commended the Maj Gen Mala for his laudable achievement of ensuring mission specific training while pledging to consolidate on the achievement of his predecessor in line with the COAS command Philosophy which is to “Transform the Nigerian Army into a well- trained, equipped and highly motivated force towards achieving our constitutional responsibilities within a joint environment.

He therefore appreciated the COAS for giving him the opportunity to serve in his capacity while urging officers and men of the oldest NA institution to cooperate and support him for successful training of the fighting machines of the NA.

Highlight of the event was the symbolic signing of handing and taking over notes, presentation of Depot lag NA Flag to the incoming Commandant and decorations of Depot NA insignia.
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The Army Headquarters has noted yet another ill-conceived report by Sahara Reporters on a sub-judice and ongoing Court Martial process of Major General UM Mohammed, the erstwhile Group Managing Director (GMD) Nigerian Army Properties Limited (NAPL), who was indicted by a military police investigation and recommended for trial.

It is expedient to clear the air on the despicably false report and calculated attempt to cast aspersion on the ongoing Court Martial, which has already progressed to an advanced stage, as the prosecution has put forward the evidence against General Mohammed and closed its case. The accused senior officer has opened his defence and is testifying as Defence Witness One (DW1).

For the avoidance of doubts, without being sub-judicial, the former GMD NAPL is facing trial in relation to alleged offences of theft of various sums of money belonging to NAPL and forgery. These are all acts declared as offences punishable under the provisions of various extant penal Laws in Nigeria.

To set the records straight, upon investigation and indictment of the accused senior officer by military police investigations, the Army Headquarters convened a Special Court Martial to try the Senior Officer as a procedure to legally recover the sums of money he allegedly fraudulently acquired from the coffers of NAPL during his tenure as GMD. The details of the outcome of the Court Martial will be provided at the end of the Court Martial proceedings.

However, it is instructive to point out that Court Martial trials are lawfully provided in the Armed Forces Act (AFA) as one of the disciplinary tools in the Armed Forces. The Court of Appeal and Supreme Court have, in multiple instances, validated the procedures, findings, and sentences of Court-martial. Court Martials, like all other criminal trials, are held in the open. The trial of Major General UM Mohammed is taking place at the Army Headquarters Command Officers’ Mess, Asokoro Abuja and is not shrouded in secrecy as being wrongly insinuated. The trial has been open, and the Defence has presented adequate representation in court. The accused senior officer’s family members, friends, and associates attend and observe the Court proceedings to date without hindrance.

It is factual that Maj Gen UM Mohammed ought to have proceeded on retirement, however, provisions of the Armed Forces Act (specifically Section 169) permit the retention in service of such personnel who has pending disciplinary case(s) to allow extant legal processes.

Furthermore, it is also a fact that members of the Special Court Martial trying Maj Gen Mohammed are all junior to him. This is permissible in special circumstances, as the Armed Forces Act provides for this contingency in Section 133(7), where the Convening Officer is required to obtain the consent of an appropriate superior to appoint any such officers as members of the court. The requisite consent was obtained before convening the Special Court Martial trying the accused senior officer.

It is worthy of note that General Mohammed is being defended by a legal team comprising 2 Senior Advocates and 6 lawyers, including a retired military officer. He is currently being detained at a military location purpose-built for such detention, where the rights and well-being of such detainees are given prime consideration. Though at the onset of the trial, Maj Gen Mohammed requested to be granted bail inter-alia on health grounds, the Court in considering the bail application, took cognizance of the humongous amount of monies allegedly stolen in the indictment, which could encourage the accused senior officer to abscond. The Court, therefore, declined the application for bail. The Court, however, granted visitation rights to some family members, including his two wives, son, daughter, and brother as requested by the accused officer. These persons have been visiting him regularly at the detention facility.

On the issue of the accused senior officer’s health; as with all other Court Martial trials, Maj Gen Mohammed’s state of health is examined daily to determine his fitness to stand trial before the commencement of proceedings for the day. The holding facility where he is detained is serviced by the Army Command and NAOWA Hospital and these medical facilities are open to him whenever required.

It is crucial to state clearly, that it is inappropriate and amounts to unlawful interference with the administration of justice to peddle inaccurate reports and comments on a matter currently under judicial adjudication (sub-judice). All the statements reported to have been made about certain persons and funds disbursement were made in the course of the trial by a witness in the defence of his case. We shall, therefore not comment on those statements to maintain the sanctity of the trial and its outcome.

Sahara Reporters is enjoined to practice responsible journalism and refrain from subjective, inaccurate, and inappropriate reporting of matters currently sub-judice.

ONYEMA NWACHUKWU
Brigadier General
Director Army Public Relations
14 May 2023

As part of activities schedule for the Passing Out Parade of Cadets of the Nigeria Defence Academy of 69 Regular Course, on Thursdays 6th October 2022, the Academy held its prize giving day and beating of retreat on Friday 30th September 2022.

The exercise signifies the culmination of the training period for cadets, while the award ceremony is an opportunity to reward hardwork by individual cadets who have excelled in military training.

The Mogadishu Battalion emerged the overall winners with 9 trophies which include , Shooting Competition, Drill Competition, Ex Camp Highland, Table Tennis, Badminton, Boxing , Judo, Cross Country Event and Volley Ball at the prize giving ceremony and received the trophy from the Chief of Air Staff (CAS) Air Marshal IO Amao, who was the special guest of honour.

The event which held at the Afaka Parade Ground, NDA attracted dignitaries, including the Chief of Air Staff Air Marshal IO Amao, Principal Staff Officers of the Defence and Svc Hqtrs, Corps Commanders, General Officer Commanding and Air Officer Commanding, Director Generals and Commandants of Various Svc Institutions and host of others

20 sparkling trophies for the 69 Regular Course presented in recognition of their hard work and dedication.

Other battalions that participated in the beating of retreat were Abyssinia Battalion winner in 4 competition Exercise Camp Initial, Exercise Camp Farauta, Athletics event, and Basketball competition, Burma Batalion winner of 2 in Obstacle crossing and Interior Economy, Dallet Battalion winners of 5 which include , SitUp & Beam Heaving Event, Swimming, Football, Handball, Tug of War Event.

Awards were also presented to cadets who distinguished themselves in various sporting activities for male and female categories .

 In a clear demonstration of it’s determined efforts to speedily eliminate the Boko Haram Terrorists /Islamic State of West Africa Province (ISWAP) insurgents hibernating along the fringes of the Lake Chad, the forces of the Multinational Joint task Force (MNJTF) have in the past weeks been conducting a well coordinated land and air offensives. 

This was contained in a statement signed by the Chief Military Public Information Headquarters Multi National Joint Task Force N’Djamena Chad Colonel Mohammed Dole and made available to the press on 17th April 2022

The Operation codenamed OPERATION LAKE SANITY is a joint and combined operations involving the MNJTF troops from Nigeria, Niger and Cameroon and troops from Operation Hadin Kai (OPHK- Nigeria) as well as the Air Task Forces  of the MNJTF and OPHK, other security agencies and the Civilian Joint Taskforce (CJTF).

Steadily advancing in different corridors of the theatre towards identified enclaves, the dogged troops operating under the shared aspiration of the MNJTF made gradual  but unprecedented incursions into the insurgents dens. 

Some of the areas cleared include ZANARI, ARINA WOJE which served as a major fabrication workshop, ASAGAR, LARKI and GARERE. Other areas cleared include KERENOA, WURJE, AREGE, ABADAM, DORON LELEWA, KOLARAM and several other locations around the Islands. Within the  period of this operation, well over a hundred terrorists have been neutralised.

 Including over 10 top commanders neutralised following intelligence driven lethal air strikes in the Lake Chad islands by the combined Air Taskforces. Some of the commanders include Abubakar Dan Buduma, Abubakar Shuwa, Abu Ali and Abu Jubrilla among others.

 Relatedly, sophisticated weapons of different calibres were either destroyed or captured including a 105 mm artillery piece, several canoes/boats, motorcycles, bicycles, other terrorists’ equipment, several Improvised Explosive Devices (IED) making factories and bunkers were destroyed. In the course of the operation, significant number of innocent citizens mostly women and children held captive by the criminals were rescued. Large quantity of food stuff (grains), fuel dumps, illicit drugs, terrorists’ uniforms and other house holds materials were recovered and destroyed immediately.

 Recent activities of the Operations include a clearance patrol to Fedondiya settlement where logistics and foodstuffs including several bags of maize and beans, motorcycles, some immobilized and cannibalized  military and civil vehicles, were discovered. Others include grinding machines ,other vehicle fabrication tools and military uniforms were all destroyed and set ablaze in the location. 

It is obviously a big Boko Haram /ISWAP camp having another large IED making and vehicle borne IED making factory that was cleverly camouflaged to prevent detection from the air. In a related development, the MNJTF troops on clearance patrols in the general areas of Kimeguna near the Lake Chad in Niger republic accosted BHT/ISWAP logisticians ferrying  Four Hundred Fifty Seven (457) bags of fish in several carts. The bags of fish were immediately destroyed in line with the MNJTF Standing Operating Procedure, while the suspects are being profiled.

The obviously frustrated criminal,BHT/ISWAP have resorted to indiscriminate laying of IEDs and use of Vehicle Borne Explosive Devices attacks. One pattern noticed in the operation is that the criminals hastily withdraw  and avoid making contact with the approaching troops . 

They instead rely on suicide vehicle borne attacks. About four (4) different such attacks have so far targeted the determined troops who have not been deterred. Sadly, eighteen (18) soldiers including an officer have been wounded in these attacks and have been evacuated to various military medical facilities for treatment while three soldiers and one member of the CJTF paid the supreme sacrifice.

 Despite the obvious challenges of difficult terrain,IED threats and sundry challenges, especially in this religious season, the troops continue to maintain the momentum, remaining focused and determined to pursue and decimate the fleeing terrorists, wherever they go in the Lake Chad islands. The Force Commander (FC) MNJTF, Major General Abdul Khalifah Ibrahim has commended the Deputy Force Commander, sector commanders, other officers and especially the gallant officers and men of MNJTF and other operations, including the CJTF actively operating in the field for their courage and commitment. While paying tribute to the members of this operation, who paid the supreme sacrifice in the line of duty, he referred to them as heroes that would never be forgotten. 

He also prayed for the quick recovery of the wounded heroes. The FC urged the troops to be resolute and bold to finally eradicate the criminals from the Lake Chad areas and promised continuous logistics support to the troops. General Ibrahim advised the terrorists to lay down their arms like thousands of their colleagues who had done so instead of pursuing a futile and failed cause. He finally appealed to the communities in the areas of operation and beyond to  always support security forces by passing credible information on the terrorists quickly to bring the scourge of terrorism in the area to an end. ( See Attached pictures of the Operation)

Following increasing complex nature of warfare around the world with peculiarities in its area of operation, the 1 Division Nigerian Army is exploring ways of building efforts for various levels of warfare.

The General Officer Commanding (GOC), 1 Division, Major General K.I. Mukhtar expressed this while declaring open, the 1 Division Operations Planning Cadre for the ranks of Warrant officers to Colonels on Monday April 4, 2022.

“The Nigerian Army equally recognizes these changes and therefore, seeks to develop capacity through realistic training that will enhance its operations.

“Additionally, 1 Division experiences in Birnin Gwari, Falgore, Kagara and other forests as well as our experiences in other Areas of Operations in the Division Area of Responsibility has helped to draw useful lessons, thereby identifying gaps in the conduct of our operations,” he said.

According to him, to this end, the operations planning cadre for this year is expected to explore ways of building on existing efforts by the Division to meets its operational needs for various Levels of Warfare, Operations Planning, Military Decision Making Process, Intelligence Preparation of the Battlefield and logistics in operational planning amongst others.

“I am highly delighted to welcome you to the 1 Division Operations Planning Cadre for the Year 2022. This planning cadre has brought together participants of the ranks of warrant officers to colonels in 1 Division Area of Responsibility.

“The Cadre is meant to refresh you on the various aspects of operations planning process in order to enhance your skills and improve capacity in operations planning towards the attainment of achieving mission end state.

“As we are all aware, warfare is becoming increasingly complex due to changes in the nature of threats and advancement in technology,” he said.

According to him, in view of this, armies world over continually engaged in training and capacity building to enable them surmount emerging security challenges.

“I will like to seize this opportunity to urge participants to have an open mind in order to derive maximum benefits from the cadre. On this note, it is my honour to officially declare the 1 Division Operations Planning Cadre 2022 open,” he said.