Army chief presents houses to three galant troops

The Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lt.-Gen. Taoreed Lagbaja, has presented houses to three army personnel in recognition of their exceptional performances and gallantry.

The recipients include Warrant Officer Lassisi Taufiki, Staff Sgt. John Michael, and Sgt. Maidugu Ali, who demonstrated exemplary performances in various military operations.

Reading their citation, Capt. Reuben Kovamgiya, Acting Deputy Director, Army Public Relations, on Friday in Maiduguri.

Presenting the houses to the awardees in Abuja, Lagbaja said the gesture was in recognition of their invaluable contributions in the North East frontline.
Represented by Maj.-Gen. Waidi Shuaibu, Theartre Commander, North East Joint Task Force Operation Hadin Kai, the COAS said the concept of rewarding outstanding troops in the North East theatre of operation was borne out of modest achievements recorded from January  to June 2024, being the peak of dry season offensive operations across the sectors.
He said the selection process of the beneficiaries was thorough which considered among other factors, contributions to their various units and formations during the just concluded dry season operation.
He said the selected troops adjudged to had been consistent in the ways they handled assigned tasks, especially in combat situations during the period.
“The selection of these individuals as evident in the citations that accompanied their nominations showed they distinguished themselves through acts of gallantry, bravery, professionalism and good conducts,” he said.
According to Lagbaja, the housing scheme tagged, ‘AHOOAS’, is a home-grown initiative aimed at providing affordable houses to soldiers after their service.
He said that each of the beneficiaries would pay a balance of N7.2 or N8.5 million out of the total value of the property, depending on the type of building, through monthly deductions from their salaries.
“The COAS has funded the cost of land, documentation, and infrastructural development, which accounts for between 60.11 per cent and 58.54 per cent of the total cost, respectively”.
Taufiki, an engineering officer, recovered and repaired military equipments, including tanks and armored personnel carriers, during operations in Sambisa forest and Timbuktu Triangle.
Also, Maidugu, a gunner, contributed significantly to the destruction of terrorists’ enclaves in Sambisa forest and neutralised several terrorists, including a Vehicle-borne Improvised Explosive Device (VBIED).
While Michael, a member of the 199 Special Forces Battalion, participated in numerous operations that achieved tremendous results, including the capture of enemy equipment