The Chief of Army Staff, Lt-Gen. Faruk Yahaya has inaugurated a special welfare flight for troops of Operation Hadin Kai (OPHK) fighting terrorism in the Northeast. While flagging off the special flights Monday at the Nigerian Air Force base, he said the welfare flights was part of his welfare plans for troops in the counter-insurgency operations. “This special welfare flights are to ease troops’ travels and movements to their respective families in the country,” he said. He lamented that travelling out of the theatre sometimes had been problematic due to distance and other associated challenges. “It has been on me to find ways to ease movements for the gallant troops that are committed and dedicated to their job,” he said, noting that this will ease their travels with their pass.
Besides, he added: “Welfare is one of the pillars of my vision for the Nigerian Army and I take this very seriously.” He therefore thanked the President and Commander in Chief, Muhammadu Buhari for his sustain support to the military. He assured that assuring that they would continue to reciprocate through total loyalty and dedication to their constitutional role. He urged the insurgents, bandits and other violent groups to lay down their arms and surrender before the military get to them anywhere they are. The Chief of Operations Army, Maj-Gen. Olabanji Akinjobi, said the flight would be conducted twice a month with Maiduguri, Abuja and Lagos as the designated destinations. “This exercise is entirely a welfare one, an initiative of COAS. “It has been in his mind since he was the Theatre Commander and we are grateful to him for this wonderful unprecedented initiative,” he said.
