Nigerian Army Speaks On COAS Visit To Port Harcourt
Army Headquarters has dismissed as false and misleading a report alleging that the Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lieutenant General Waidi Shaibu, raised alarm over rising pipeline vandalism during his recent visit to Port Harcourt.
In a statement issued on Sunday, the Army described a publication by Sahara Reporters titled “Nigerian Army Chief Raises Alarm over Rising Pipeline Vandalism in Niger Delta” as a deliberate misrepresentation of facts, stressing that the COAS did not, at any point, express concern or raise alarm over pipeline vandalism during the visit.
According to the Army, Lieutenant General Shaibu was in Port Harcourt on Friday, 9 January 2025, for his maiden operational visit to the 6 Division of the Nigerian Army, where he addressed officers and soldiers at the division’s barracks. During the interaction, the COAS emphasized the strategic importance of the division’s mandate, particularly the protection of critical national infrastructure.
“Your job here is very key to protecting critical national infrastructure, and once you do that job very well, it will impact positively on the economy of the country,” the COAS said. He urged troops to remain disciplined, committed and dedicated, while assuring them that their welfare remained a top priority under his command philosophy.
The Army Chief also announced immediate interventions to address some of the challenges raised by commanders, including approval for the construction of additional accommodation, renovation of existing quarters and completion of ongoing projects. He noted that these measures would help ease accommodation challenges faced by personnel and their families.
On education, the COAS assured troops that steps were being taken to improve the quality of schooling for their children, while calling on officers and soldiers to carry out their duties conscientiously.
While speaking with journalists during the visit, Lieutenant General Shaibu explained that the tour was part of his routine assessment of formations across the country. He said the purpose was to interact with troops, assess their combat readiness and identify operational and welfare challenges with a view to addressing them promptly.
“I am here in the 6 Division area of responsibility for my maiden operational visit to see what the troops are doing, to look at their challenges and see how we can address them headlong so that they can go about doing their jobs seriously,” he stated.
Army Headquarters further noted that security parameters in the region indicate commendable efforts by troops in curbing oil theft and pipeline vandalism, leading to sustained oil and gas exploration activities that support the national economy.
The Army cautioned media organisations against what it described as attempts to distort narratives to suit adversarial interests, urging them to verify facts before publication. It also called on members of the public to disregard reports aimed at undermining ongoing security efforts in the Niger Delta.
Residents of the region were encouraged to continue providing credible intelligence on the activities of economic saboteurs to security agencies to enable prompt and effective response.
