The Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lieutenant General Olufemi Oluyede has warned soldiers to desist from turning Forward Operating Bases (FOBs), situated across the country into checkpoints with the intention of extorting Nigerians.
Lieutenant General Oluyede stated this on Friday while on a working visit to the 32 Artillery Brigade, Akure, the ondo state capital.
Addressing the soldiers at the artillery brigade, the Chief of Army Staff warned that FOBs were not established for the purpose of checkpoints.
He said, “Get the right directives and be ready to do your job well. Not that one will take you to an FOB, you’ll turn into a checkpoint.
“FOBs are not checkpoints and you all agree with me, all those people who do things that are wrong like that, they don’t make in the long run.
“Anybody that is not followed by God’s Grace is a waste of time. If I take what belongs to you now, it’s a waste of time.
“The way we send you out to go and do your work, please do your work very well. Do your work as responsible soldiers.
“For those of you who are junior ones, listen to your experienced seniors COs and I can bet you, you will always be safe.
“Nigeria belongs to all of us. And it’s important for all of us, together, to make Nigeria better and safer. So that our children will have a better life.”
Lieutenant General Oluyede also charged the soldiers to ensure that criminals are not allowed to invade the southwest region as they were being defeated in the northern parts of the country.
He said “As we are pursuing the criminals from the north, we have realized that some of them are coming down to the southwest. What does that mean? What does that tell you?That work is coming.
“It is better you nip it in the bud and you allow it to grow. Once it grows, it becomes a monster. We don’t want another northeast. Neither do we want another northwest. So you must brace up to that challenge.”
He urged them to brace up to face security challenges as the Army under his administration would ensure to improve on their welfare.
He reminded the soldiers that Nigerians relied on the Army and other security agencies for a safer country to foster development.
