By Yochuku Ofoka Yobolisa, Editor in Chief
GodBlessNigeriaGroup, a nongovernmental organization, Friday marched to the Armed Forces Complex in Abuja to register their condolences over the tragic death of Lieutenant General Ibrahim Attahiru, the erstwhile Chief of the Army Staff who was killed in a Nigerian Air Force aircraft crash on Friday 21 May in Kaduna. Chanting songs of praise for the armed forces, the group described Attahiru’s death and that of the other military officers with him as purely patriotic and self-sacrificing, saying that the entire members of the military force were worthy of public appreciation for their selfless service to the nation.
The group therefore, called on all nongovernmental organizations in the country, especially, those working in the Northeast who, according to them, are in the habit of making outrageous comments about the ongoing counterterrorism in that part of the country, to desist from making such utterances as would hurt the feelings of the military personnel who they said, “are daily making supreme sacrifices to contain the rebellion.”
The group said that in the very short time that the late Chief of the Army Staff fought insurgency in the country he showed admirable prowess in the containment of the forces of evil; and called on all and sundry Nigerians to honour the good work of the fallen heroes, and the patience and sacrifices of the families they left behind.
Mr. Eric Daminabo, GodBlessNigeriaGroup’s spokesman, who read the condolence message said, “Nigerians followed with keen interest the tremendous progress and notable achievements that General Attahiru was recording in the fight against insurgency, kidnapping, and banditry. We would forever remember him for his bravery, commitment and determination in his quest for a better and secure nation. Therefore, we must remain worthy of the supreme sacrifice and remain forever committed to the country he loved and died for.”
The group thanked all members of the military community for working tirelessly round the clock in all corners of the country in support of the civil authorities, recounting their rescue efforts against Boko Haram terrorist group and the ISWAP militias in the northeast.
Responding, the DHQ’s director of defence information, Brigadier General Onyema Nwachukwu, who received the group on behalf of the Chief of the Defence Staff, General Leo Irabor, thanked the group who were composed of young men and women; and promised to pass their message to the military hierarchies. General Nwachukwu assured the group of the continued efforts by the armed forces to rid the country of rebels and terrorist groups in not just the Northeast zone, but in all the six geopolitical zones of the country.
Nwachukwu said, “The military shall not fail to carry out their constitutional roles in any part of this country. If you look round from the Northeast, to the Northwest, to the North Central; and down to the South-South, Southwest and the Southeast, you will observe that the military are not resting on their oases, and we will continue to do what we have been asked to do until all criminal elements and terror groups are stamped out of the country.”
– – – Major General Farouk Yahaya replaces Attahiru as army boss
Conversely, the group congratulated Major General Farouk Yahaya on his appointment as the twenty-second Chief of the Army Staff, and prayed God to guide him in order that he might be able to continue the good work started by his predecessor.
General Yahaya who was appointed on Thursday 27 May, by the President, Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces, assumed office, Friday, thus replacing late General Ibrahim Attahiru as leader of the army high command.
Before his appointment, Major General Yahaya was theatre commander of Operation Hadin Kai, formerly, Operation Lafia Dole. He was born 5 January, 1965, and was a member of the 37 Regular Course of the Nigerian defence Academy.
A field commander, the Sokoto-born general came straight from the battle space in the Northeast and was met at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja by members of the army hierarchies who promptly whisked him away to the Headquarters, Nigerian Army where he was scheduled to interact with the press; but some pressing national engagement robbed him of the opportunity to address the Fourth Estate and the nation.
