Support fight against criminality in S’East, Irabor urges ex-military officers

The Chief of Defence Staff, Gen. Lucky Irabor, has urged retired senior military officers in the South-East to offer their wealth of experience toward the fight against criminality.

Irabor made the request on Thursday, while speaking at a security meeting with them in Owerri.

He said: “Given the current dynamics of insecurity, it behoves retired senior officers to offer valuable advice to aid our security personnel in the fight against criminality.

”We sincerely hope that having obliged your presence at this interactive meeting, you will bring your wealth of experience to bear so that together, we will surmount our challenges.”

He thanked the officers for attending the meeting and appealed to them to proffer solutions to security challenges in the zone and nation at large.

He also called on Nigerians to desist from using violence to pursue their political or other objectives.

He warned that the nation’s security agencies would not tolerate any form of violent conduct in whatever guise.

Earlier in an address of welcome, Maj.-Gen. Taoreed Lagbaja, the General Officer Commanding, 82 Division of the Nigerian Army, described the retired officers as key stakeholders in the nation’s security business.

Lagbaja commended the chief of defence staff for the initiative and reiterated the division’s commitment to restoring peace and security in the zone.

He said that similar interactions had been held in the South-West and North-West geopolitical zones.

In a remark, former Chief of Army Staff, Lt.-Gen. Azubuike Ihejirika, thanked the Department of Civil Military Cooperation for sustaining its foundational legacies.

Ihejirika called on Nigerians to support peace and security efforts by the military.

He expressed the confidence that with all hands on deck, criminality would be brought to its barest minimum.

Also, Rear Admiral Frederick Ogu, the Chief of Defence, Civil Military Cooperation, said the armed forces were collaborating with other security agencies to stamp out criminality.

He advised Nigerians to cooperate with security agencies, saying that the war against crime and criminality could only be won through concerted efforts by the citizenry.

It was reported that top military personnel that attended the meeting included the Chief of Defence Intelligence, Maj.-Gen. S.A Adebayo, and the Brigade Commander, 34 Artillery Brigade of the Nigerian Army, Obinze, Owerri, Brig.-Gen. Raymond Utsaha.

Also in attendance were the Imo Commissioner of Police, Mr Abutu Yaro, and scores of other senior military officers.