The Chief of Army Staff,
Nigerian Army
The Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Taoreed A. Lagbaja has congratulated Muslim faithfuls on the celebration of Eid-El-Fitr which marks the end of the Holy Month of Ramadan. TheMediaGood Newspaper can report that the Army General also used the opportunity to encourage Nigerians to imbibe peace and harmony. He affirmed that the overlapping of the Christians’ Lent and the Muslims’ Ramadan fasting seasons offered a great lesson for peaceful coexistence and nation building.
In his goodwill message for Eid El Fitr 2024 which he personally signed, Lt. Gen. TA Lagbaja shared: ‘I congratulate the Muslim faithful for concluding the 2024 Ramadan fast successfully and felicitate the officers, soldiers, and civilian staff of the Nigerian Army and family members on the occasion of Eid-El-Fitr 2024. It is a fact that the Eid-El-Fitr is of great religious, cultural, and social significance to the Muslim faithful and all members of the Nigerian Army Community Having undertaken the CHIEF OF ARMY STAFF spiritual exercise with other Muslim faithful worldwide, I believe that your fasting, acts of charity, love, patience, and perseverance have strengthened your relationship with Almighty Allah and enhanced your humanness.’
He preached: ‘The overlapping of the Lenten and Ramadan seasons this year offered a good lesson to us as a nation on the need to live in harmony with one another. These spiritual exercises created a solemn atmosphere for Christians and Muslims alike to reflect and pray for our nation and leaders as we navigate the current economic and security realities that we face, and I have no doubt that you have taken advantage of the season to do just that. I equally hope that you spared a moment during the Ramadan fast to pray for the repose of the souls of our departed colleagues who paid the supreme price in the line of duty and the families they left behind.’
‘Let me use this opportunity of this celebration to acknowledge and thank you for your continued contributions towards ensuring the total defeat of adversarial elements troubling our nation. Your commitment and sacrifices in the fight against terrorism, banditry, oil theft, illegal mining, and other forms of criminalities challenging our existence as a Nation have not gone unnoticed by the government and the people of Nigeria. You all will bear me witness that the government of the day has, within available means, kept faith with its promise to make the welfare of members of the Armed Forces and our families of uttermost importance. The only way to reciprocate this is by redoubling our efforts at creating the right environment for peace and economic prosperity of our people and country. I challenge you not to rest on your oars as we continue to work with our sister services and other security agencies in implementing strategic policies of government through successful operational activities and effective tactical actions. I assure you that I will continue to prioritize your welfare while maintaining the sanction and reward system which characterize the sound administration pillar of my Command Philosophy, which is “To transform the Nigerian Army into a Well-trained, Equipped and Highly Motivated Force Towards Achieving our Constitutional Responsibilities within a Joint Environment”, Lagbaja noted.
‘For our colleagues who, due to operational commitments, are unable to join their family members and loved ones to celebrate this year’s Eid-El-Fitr, be assured that the Nation appreciates your sacrifice and service and I salute your sense of duty and dedication. Securing our beloved nation against all forms of threats, internal and external, is a duty we are constitutionally bound to perform and service we must render to our fatherland. I hope you continue to imbibe the lessons of Ramadan and espouse the acts of charity, kindness, and patience, among other virtues emphasised during the fasting season’, TheMediaGood Newpaper reports.
The Chief of Army Staff also thanked the President for his support to the Nigerian Army. ‘I wish to use this medium to again thank His Excellency Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, President, Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, Federal Republic of Nigeria, for his continuous support to the Nigerian Army. I appreciate Mr President for the privilege to lead this great Army at this period in our Nation’s history and reaffirm the unwavering loyalty and resolve of the Nigerian Army in the defence of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and our fatherland. The Nigerian Army remains committed, determined, and focused on ensuring the total defeat of insurgents, marauding bandits, and all other forms of external and internal threats to our dear country.’
‘As we celebrate Eid-El-Fitr 2024, I challenge you to renew your hope and faith in the unity of our nation and continue to fight for the just cause of keeping Nigeria safe and secure. I urge all officers and soldiers of the Nigerian Army to use this Eid-El-Fitr celebration to pray for our continued successes, I once again wish our Muslim faithful and, indeed, all Nigerian Army personnel and their family members a wonderful and happy Eid-El-Fitr celebration’, Lagbaja concluded.