The Chief of Army Staff (COAS),Lt-Gen. Tukur Buratai, has attributed the low incident of COVID-19 outbreak among troops and army barracks to the proactive measures by the authorities to curb the pandemic.

He also attributed the inability of the Nigerian Army to host the first and second quarter conferences to the pandemic. He made this known at the opening of the combined first, second and third combined conference in Maiduguri, Borno State.

He said: “It is quite evident that the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted the implementation of Nigerian Army forecast of events for 2020 and by extension my training directives for the year. However, it afforded us the opportunity to test some of our concepts and plans accordingly.

“Nigerian Army provided supports to the civil authorities in managing the pandemic as requested by the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19. Our medical personnel were trained as part of the national effort at containing the pandemic.

“Some Nigerian Army medical facilities were designated as isolation centres. Personal protective equipment were also procured and distributed to all formations and units including theatres of operations.

“The low incidence of COVID-19 outbreak among troops and in army barracks is a testament to the effectiveness of the proactive steps that we took at the onset of the pandemic. I am sure that we will have course during the conference to review our actions with a view to identifying strategies for addressing similar challenges in the future.

“This combined conference will enable us to appraise the level of implementation of the Nigerian army focus for 2020 and the training directive. The conference will also afford the opportunity to hold discussions on current operational, administrative and logistics matters as well as other security issues that are crucial to the sovereignty of our dear country.”(Daily Sun)