The General Officer Commanding of the 2 Division of the Nigerian Army, Major-General Kasimu Abdulkarim has reiterated the importance of armed forces keeping fit through regular exercises, saying that they help in keeping sound mind in a sound body.
The GOC stated this at the weekend when he led troops from the Division as well as officers of other security agencies along some roads in Ibadan, Oyo State during a 10-kilometre route march, accompanied military and police bands.
The security agencies which joined army troops in the route march include the Nigeria Police Force, The Nigeria Air Force, the Nigeria Customs Service, The Nigeria Prisons Service, the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, The Nigerian Immigration Service, the Nigeria Security Civil Defence Corps, the Federal Road Safety Corps, the Directorate of State Services, as well as members of the National Youth Service Corps.
The route march started from Letmauck Barracks, 81 Battalion of the Nigerian Army at Mokola area through Mokola Roundabout, University College Hospital (UCH), Total Garden, state government secretariat, Agodi area, Awolowo Junction, Bodija, Housing Corporation at Bodija, Sango Elewure Junction to Coca-cola-Ajibade-Veterinary road, back to the starting point.
Speaking with journalists during the walk, Abdulkarim said that its essence was to bring all the services and security agencies together to promote espirit de corps, adding that it would help them to know how to operate together anytime there are engagements involving security agencies to improve security in Oyo State.
On security generally in Nigeria, the General Officer Commanding scored the Nigerian Army high, saying it had done well. “You are aware of all that have been happening; and the armed forces and other security agencies are on top of the situation,” he stated.
He added that he subscribed to the belief that the Boko Haram insurgency would end in a short time from the present.