By Philip Nwosu
Troops of the Nigerian Army participating in various internal security operations around the country have been warned to conduct themselves within the ambit of the law and in line with the code of conduct guiding soldiers in internal security operations.
The Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Tukur Buratai, who gave the warning, said that the security challenges arising from different part of the country were taking their toll on the Army, but added that the force was equal to the task of defending the country against threats.
He said: “The Nigerian Army has been faced with several challenges ranging from proliferation of militancy, insurgency, kidnapping and other forms of crimes across the country. “All these menaces have stretched our human and material resources, but the Nigerian Army Finance Corps has been able to manage our scarce resources well and our troops in various theatres of operations have been getting their allowances promptly.”
General Buratai spoke at the commissioning of the remodelled Nigerian Army Finance Headquarters building as well as the launching of its data recovery centre and the Nigerian Army Command Mess 2 in Lagos. He explained that the Army has keyed into and implemented all financial reforms of the Federal Government. The Army Chief, who was represented by the Chief, Training and Operations at the Nigerian Army Headquarters, Major General David Ahmadu said that the force has implemented adequately, the Treasury Single Account (TSA), The Integrated Financial Information System and the Integrated Personnel Payroll Information System.
General Buratai spoke a day after the flag-off of Exercise Crocodile Smile II, an operation intended to sharpen troops’ skills on the procedures and conduct of internal security operations in aid of civil authorities, administration in the field, and logistics involved.
He urged the officers and men of the Nigerian Army Finance Corps to ensure that they constantly embark on capacity building to ensure they do not go out of tune with current technological development and changes in the information technology environment.
Earlier, the Acting Chief of Account and Budget of the Force, Brigadier General Ezra Jaako assured that the force would continue to improve in its effort to ensure the timely payment of troops allowance. He said that the force’s biometric exercise, which has gone through many challenges, was to ensure that welfare delivery to members of the Nigerian Army was adequately put in place in line with the vision of the Chief of Army Staff. General Jaako said it was in compliance with the Federal Government policy on e-payment that the Nigerian Army Finance Corps had put in place the e-payment system which is currently running online with the Army’s pay office.