By Emmanuel Obisue
Nigerian Army has allayed fears of leadership vacuum in its command structure, following the absence of the Chief of Army Staff, COAS, Lt. Gen. Taoreed Lagbaja, who embarked on official leave.
A statement issued at the weekend by the Director of Army Public Relations, Major General Onyema Nwachukwu, explained that before Lagbaja proceeded on leave, necessary protocols were put in place for the Chief of Policy and Plans (Army), Major General Abdulsalami Bagudu Ibrahim, to act on behalf of the COAS, while he is away.
In the statement, the Army explained that the present circumstance is not peculiar to the Nigerian Army alone, adding that there had been instances where unforeseen human frailty kept service chiefs away for about three months, and their Chiefs of Policy and Plans held sway in their absence.
Onyema argued that the claims of a leadership vacuum in the Army’s command structure were mere speculation, as all routine and scheduled activities of the service were on course, describing the insinuations as laughable.
“While some of these are laughable and deserve no further reference, others have bordered on pure mischief calculated to cause panic and confusion within the rank and file, as well as the general public.
“Specifically, many insinuations about personnel postings, promotions, and even training activities have been raised vis-a-vis the official leave of the Chief of Army Staff (COAS).
“There have even been insinuations that there is a leadership vacuum, with officers confused about what to do. Nothing can be farther from the truth.
“To be very clear, the Nigerian Army is a highly structured establishment with well-laid-out procedures and processes for dealing with different circumstances,” part of the Army statement read.
It urged the public to remain confident in the Nigerian Army and be assured that the service remained on top of the security situations in the country and is ever ready to defend Nigeria against any aggression on its land territory.
“Meanwhile, the Army Headquarters wishes to thank all well-meaning Nigerians who have shown genuine concern about Lt. Gen. TA Lagbaja and have continued to pray for him. The Army Headquarters assures Nigerians and the international community that all land-related training, operational, and administrative activities are on course and that the COPP(A) is firmly and effectively running the affairs of the Service pending the return of the COAS,” the statement added.