Brig.-Gen. Usman Lawal has assumed duty as Commander, 34 Artillery Brigade of the Nigerian Army, Obinze, in Imo state.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Lawal took over from Brig.-Gen. Sani Sulaiman, erstwhile commander in a brief ceremony, in Obinze, near Owerri, on Thursday.
Lawal pledged to sustain the legacies of his predecessor to maintain the core values of the Nigerian Army which include loyalty, selfless service, courage, discipline, integrity and mutual respect, in the discharge of his lawful duties.
He thanked the troops of the brigade for their loyalty and support to the outgone commander as evidenced in his “ lofty achievements “.
“ We will consolidate on the achievements of my predecessor and work hard to do more especially in the areas of protecting our borders and protecting lives and property of Nigerians resident In-N-Out area of operation while eliminating criminal elements in our society,” he said.
Speaking, Sulaiman who served as the Brigade’s Commander for 16 months, from March 2022 to July 2023, thanked Almighty God for the gift of life and vitality and the ability to carry out his duties while he held sway.
He urged his successor to uphold the tenets and core values of the Nigerian Army and wished him well.
He also thanked the Nigerian Army for the opportunity to serve his fatherland and his troops for their unflinching support which enabled the brigade achieve successes.
Among the areas of successes, he said, were the war against illegal bunkering, proliferation of small weapons and the activities of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra and its armed affiliate, the Eastern Security Network.
Also, the improvement and stabilization of civil-military relations as well as professional conduct of troops.
NAN also reports that while at the helm, Sulaiman supervised the renovation of the brigade’s headquarters in Obinze, near Owerri, the fencing of the Army Day Secondary School and the renovation of four classroom blocks in the school.
Sulaiman and Lawal however performed the official handover of the military flag and signing of necessary documents.
A highlight of the event was the inauguration of the Brigade Commander’s office, remodeled and furnished by Sulaiman. (NAN)
