The Chief of Army Staff, COAS, Lt.-Gen. Taoreed Lagbaja, at the weekend said that the Army High Command established the Army University in Biu, Borno State as a means to explore a non-kinetic approach in the service operations against insurgency in the country.
The COAS, who is also the Pro-Chancellor and Chairman Governing Board of the University, stated this while speaking at the first convocation ceremony of the University during which it conferred first degrees in diverse disciplines on 417 graduates.
In a statement made available to Defence Correspondents in Abuja by the Director, Army Public Relations, Brig. Gen. Onyema Nwachukwu, the Army Chief disclosed that by establishing the Nigerian Army University at Biu, “We sought to achieve social inclusion, gender balance and expand diversity through education”,
According to the statement, Gen Lagbaja asserted that the emergence and growth of the institution in the heart of the North East, an area, was until recently, bedeviled by violence and insecurity, “is a testament to the successes the Nigerian military have collectively achieved in the counter-insurgency efforts.
“Today, the graduands are a testament to our bravery, courage, and determination, in spite of the security challenges, to groom youths that would become solution providers and self-reliant in addressing some of the challenges of our dear nation”.
In his address, the University Chancellor, His Royal Majesty, Major General Felix Mujakperuo (rtd), who is also the Orodje of Okpe Kingdom, Delta State, noted that siting the University in Biu has brought and would continue to bring development to the community.
He enjoined the graduands to strive to be entrepreneurial in their post-graduation endeavours, rather than seeking white collar jobs. “You should be employers of labour”,
The Royal father commended the Vice Chancellor, management, staff and students of the University for their individual and collective roles in moving the institution in the right direction.
The statement added that while rendering the summary of Honorary Awardees and graduating students by class of degree, the Vice Chancellor, Professor Kyari Mohammed affirmed the award of Doctor of Laws Honoris Causa to HRM Maj Gen Felix Mujakperuo (rtd) and Doctor of Letters to Lt Gen Tukur Yusuf Buratai, former Nigeria’s Ambassador to Republic of Benin and former Chief of Army Staff.
Prof Kyari declared that 20 graduands of the University made First Class, while 207 graduating students bagged Second Class Upper Division and 186 of the convocating students fell in the Second Class Lower Division. Four of the graduands made Third Class.
He added that the highlights of the maiden convocation were the presentation of eponymous awards to students who graduated in flying colours. Ibrahim Dorcas Kutawalang of the Department of Political Science emerged the overall best graduating student with cummulative Grade Point Average of 4.84 and carted away the Pro-Chancellor’s and Vice Chancellor’s Prizes, amongst other prized awards.
The statement further added that the Chief of Army Staff, on behalf of the Honourable Minister of Defence, Mohammed Badaru Abubakar, commissioned 24 units of 2-bedroom flats donated by the Ministry of Defence. Equally, the Chief of Defence Staff, Gen Christopher Musa, represented by the Theatre Commander Operations Hadin Kai, Maj Gen Gold Chibuisi, inaugurated another set of 24 one-bedroom flats for staff of the institution while a students’ Affairs building was also commissioned by the Chancellor.
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