Chief Of Army Staff First Quarter Conference and Year 2019 Combat Arms Training

Chief Of Army Staff First Quarter Conference and Year 2019 Combat Arms Training

Welcome address by Maj Gen SO Olabanji GSS FCM psc(+) ndc (BD) fdc(+) Commander Infantry Corps on the occassion of the COAS First Quarter conference and year 2019 Combat arms training week at Jaji Military cantonment

It is with a great sense of responsibility that I welcome our Guest of Honour, and other invited guests to the joint COAS First Quarter Conference and Combat Arms Training Week for the Year 2019.

It is a huge privilege for the Combat Arms to jointly host its annual training week alongside the COAS quarterly conference which is by no means a coincidence. The Infantry Corps is by rotation, the host of this Year’s CATWEEK and I therefore stand in this stead, first as representative of the Combat Arms and also Cantonment Commander of the prestigious Jaji Military Cantonment which is playing host to this mammoth gathering of the Nigerian Army.

Only yesterday, the Infantry Corps played host to the COAS, senior serving and retired army officers of the Infantry Corps and other officers in an all infantry conference which the COAS graciously approved and preceded today’s event. It was a worthwhile event and we are grateful to the COAS for the privilege.

This year’s CATWEEK/COAS Quarterly Conference is themed “Leveraging land power for current and future warfare; The utility of the Combat Arms”. While not attempting to pre-empt the lectures and packages lined up for these events, it promises to be a very interesting fruitful gathering considering the roles and demands placed on combat units in our contemporary security challenges.

As contained in the program, there are series of activities already lined up for these 4 days which is meant to make this conference and training week memorable. I would like to crave our indulgence to get the best of the event for better service delivery to the army. As hosts, my team and I as well as the Army Headquarters organising team have put in measures to guarantee your comfort during these events. These would not have been made possible without the support of the COAS’ benevolent support towards the organization of the events.

Beyond the lectures, talks and discussions that characterize events as this, we will be witnessing a series of commissioning activities to be carried out by the COAS. In his drive to enhance welfare of personnel and training activities, several infrastructural projects have been embarked upon around the NA in general.

The Jaji Military Cantonment has benefitted immensely from this drive and we will be witnessing the commissioning of a good number of these projects today. I would encourage us to find time and go round some of these project sites to appreciate the transformation that has been witnessed in this Cantonment within a very short time.

For the security of participants, we have emplaced measures to enhance security between Kaduna and Jaji at both accommodation areas and routes to and from the 2 locations. Any participant that wishes to embark on a trip outside our security arrangements are kindly advised that the parts of the Kaduna-Jaji road undergoing construction are prone to accidents mainly due to careless driving. There have previously been remote cases of kidnapping and robbery on that route but our troops are on top of the situation. Therefore, utmost care should be taken.

Let me conclude this welcoming address by once again extending our profound gratitude to the Chief of Army Staff who made this gathering possible and also graced the occasions lined up in person.

As we settle down to the business of the day today and going forward, I wish us all a very successful COAS First Quarter Conference and Combat Arms Training Week 2019. Welcome all to Jaji Military Cantonment; Home of the Infantry.

Thank You