The Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lieutenant General Taoreed Lagbaja, has called on the people of Angbasa in Lavun Local Government Area of Niger State to collaborate with the Nigerian Army and other security agencies to ensure a secure environment conducive to socio-economic development. The COAS made this appeal during the commissioning of the Chief of Army Staff’s Special Intervention Civil-Military Cooperation Projects in Angbasa on Friday, September 6, 2024.
Represented by Major General Kevin Aligbe, Commander of the Training and Doctrine Command Nigerian Army (TRADOC NA), Lt. Gen. Lagbaja emphasized the pivotal role of security in driving development and underscored the Nigerian Army’s commitment to ensuring the safety and stability of its operational areas. The intervention projects inaugurated in Angbasa included the renovation of a five-classroom block, the construction of a new three-classroom block, and the installation of a borehole at Angbasa Nursery and Primary School.
The COAS reaffirmed the Army’s dedication to addressing Nigeria’s security challenges using both kinetic and non-kinetic methods, while also improving the welfare of communities within its operational zones. He explained that the Special Intervention Projects Scheme was introduced to give back to communities where senior officers of the Nigerian Army, who have attained the rank of Major General, hail from, thereby contributing to local development.
Lt. Gen. Lagbaja commended Major General Musa Etsu-Ndagi, Deputy Chief of Training (Army), for spearheading these projects in his hometown of Angbasa. He expressed his appreciation to the people of Lavun Local Government and Niger State for their ongoing support of the Nigerian Army and urged them to continue their cooperation with security agencies to address crime and insecurity.
In his welcome address, Major General Etsu-Ndagi thanked the COAS for approving the funds necessary to carry out the projects. He noted that while the agrarian community of Angbasa valued education, challenges such as deteriorating school infrastructure and insufficient sanitary facilities had led to an increase in school dropouts. He expressed hope that these newly completed projects would reverse that trend and improve educational outcomes for local children.
Major General Nosa Ugbo, Chief of Civil-Military Affairs (CCMA) Nigerian Army, represented by Brigadier General Bemgba Koughna, highlighted the strong support the Nigerian Army has received from the people of Niger State. He stressed that this cooperation has been critical to the Army’s operational successes in the state and across the North Central Region. Maj. Gen. Ugbo emphasized the need to continue and strengthen the collaboration between the Army and local communities to effectively address national security threats.
Alhaji Jibrin Alhassan, the Education Secretary of Lavun LGA, delivered a vote of thanks on behalf of the Chairman of Lavun Local Government Area, Hon. Isa Kutigi. He expressed deep gratitude to the COAS for the intervention projects, noting that the new facilities would greatly enhance educational quality for the children of Lavun LGA and benefit future generations.
