By Kenneth Onuoha
365Daily – Maj.-Gen. Taoreed Lagbaja, the General Officer Commanding (GOC) 82 Division of the Nigerian Army, has assured that the Division will continue training and retraining for proficiency of soldiers and officers.
Lagbaja said this on Friday, April 23, 2021, during the closing ceremony of an Inter-Brigade Corporals and Below Competition held at Abakpa Military Cantonment, Enugu.
The 13 Brigade, Calabar, came first and lifted a giant trophy of the competition which featured six activities that make for combat-ready soldiers.
82 Division Garrison, Enugu, came second; 44 Engineers/54 Signal Brigade, Enugu, came third, while the 14 Brigade, Ohafia, came fourth and got the big wooden spoon.
The GOC commended the Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lt.-Gen. Ibrahim Attahiru, for providing the resources for the competition and seeing to its overall success.
Lagbaja said that the competition, which serves as a training, captures the COAS’ vision, which is to have “a Nigerian Army that is repositioned to professionally defeat all adversaries in a joint environment’’.
He said that the competition had further built team work and fostered better espirit-de-corps among the ranks of corporals and below within the Division.
“The training, coming in form of the competition, is what the Division will continue to offer its soldiers and officers to ensure combat and deployment readiness.
“The areas of weaknesses we have noticed will be strengthened and areas of strength will be further improved upon.
“I thank the judges as well as the 82 Division Garrison Commander, the Chairman of the Local Organising Committee, for a hitch-free and satisfactory event,’’ he said.
The competition featured six principal events, which included weapon handling, obstacle crossing, half cross country relay race, navigation (map reading), drill and combat swimming.
Corporal Afolabi Atunbi received a certificate for being the best brigade drill commander; Lance Corporal Austin Orji received a certificate as best runner, while Corporal Patience John received certificate as best in weapon handling, among others.