The Minister of Defence, Maj. Gen. Bashir Salihi Magashi (retd) said President Muhammadu Buhari has expediently put national interest above ethnic and religious chauvinism in the appointment of Major General Farouk Yahaya as the new Chief of Army Staff (COAS).
Magashi noted that certain factors were considered and General Yahaya satisfied all requirements.
The Minister said, “these include his unblemished track records of service, Professional, Command and Operational competences among other yardsticks that culminated into his emergence as most suitably qualified new Army boss.”
He, therefore, commended the appointment of General Yahaya as the 22nd Chief of Army Staff, succeeding the late Lt. Gen. Ibrahim Attahiru, who died in a plane crash alongside ten others last Friday in Kaduna.
The minister also disclosed that plans were in the pipeline by the Federal Government to immortalise late General Attahiru and others who died in the NAF plane crash.
This according to him is aimed at immortalising them and to ensure that their sacrifices as national heroes in keeping the nation safe and secured are not in vain.
In a statement by Mohammad Abdulkadri, Magashi described the new Army boss as an organic infantry General who is tested and trusted to actualise the national aspirations to restore peace in the dark spot areas of insurgency, kidnapping and banditry as well as other allied threats to the nation’s corporate existence.
The Minister expressed optimism in the professional pedigree of the former theatre Commander of Operation “Hadin Kai” General Yahaya in sustaining the trajectory of taking offensive and aggressive campaigns to the camps, corridors and cells of the adversaries with a view to obliterating them.
He said as a battle Commander with remarkable exploits and considerable experience, exposure and expertise he will be committed to the new battle plans and philosophy of Jointness among Services and other security agencies in combat which are some of the legacies of his predecessor.
He pledged the support of the Ministry of Defence under his watch to the new Army chief in carrying out his mandate.
