Religious Leader Extols The Virtue Of Chief Of Army Staff, Lt General Faruk Yahaya

Religious Leader Extols The Virtue Of Chief Of Army Staff, Lt General Faruk Yahaya

Having completed two years of massive improvement and positive change in the security, the Catholic Bishop Of Minna Diocese, Most Rev Dr Martin Uzoukwu has given a pass mark to Faruk Yahaya, Chief of army staff (COAS), and his troops in the war against terrorism.

The cleric gave this commendation recently in Minna during the consecration of remodelled church building at St Mary’s Catholic church, Military Cantonment, Minna. 

Most Rev Dr Martin Uzoukwu extolled the virtue of the Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lieutenant General Faruk Yahaya in Providing quality leadership to officers and soldiers of the Nigerian Army which has yielded positive results in the ongoing fight against adversaries of the Nation especially against bandits in the North Western part of the country. 

He described COAS as a worthy leader who has provided basic needs to officers and soldiers of the Nigeria Army and thanked him for supporting the church and others religions in the barracks across the country. 

He noted that God is using the Nigerian Army to salvage the North west from Bandits invasion and making it possible for the citizens to go about their lawful duties. We are not ignorant of your sacrifices to this nation. 

“You are peace makers and peace is a concept that has to do with life. We as religious leaders will continue to offer prayers for divine protection over you and your troops”, he said even as he paid tribute to the fallen heroes whom he described as epitome of service to the nation. 

The commander TRADOC, Major General Stevenson Olabanji in his remarks thanked the Bishop for the visit which he said is a spiritual upliftment to the command. 

He noted that religious harmony is key to sustainable peace in a secular society like Nigeria and called on better understanding and tolerance among religious leaders in the country. 

The commander also used the opportunity of the visit to solicit for supports of the religious leaders in the ongoing clearance operation to flush out the remnant Bandits in the region by giving relevant information that will aid the troops in their operations. 

He thanked the COAS for his support to the command and for providing all the logistics required to complete the church and other religious places of worship in the Cantonment which he said is in fulfillment of one the four cardinal pillars of COAS and inline with the COAS vision for the Nigerian Army which is “A Professional Nigerian Army Ready to Accomplish Assigned Mission in a joint Environment in Defence of Nigeria.

He went down memory lane on his days at Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA) Where he participated actively at St Patrick Parish Activities which he said added value to his life. He dedicated the edifice to officers and soldiers of the command who paid the supreme price in efforts to maintain peace in the region. 

In his goodwill message, the former Acting Commander TRADOC, and a life patron of the church Major General Victor Ezugwu thanked the Bishop for providing spiritual guidance to the command and called on good people of the state to avail credible information that will aid the troops in their operations. 

The event was attended by some principal staff officers of TRADOC, Rep of commander 31 Artillery Brigade, Brigadier General HD Bobbo, the Acting Director Chaplain services (Roman Catholic), Col (Very Rev Fr) AF Maimagani, the Chaplain St Mary’s Catholic church, Rev Fr Peter Bandele and other Parishioners among others.