Soldiers embark on ‘show of force’ in Lagos

The Nigerian Armed Forces Resettlement Centre (NAFRC) has called on serving military officers and men to keep fit at all times as a prerequisite for effective operations.

The Commandant of the NAFRC, Air Vice Marshal Abubakar Sadiq Liman, gave the charge on Saturday after leading 471 military officers, ratings, airmen and airwomen on a seven-kilometre road walk in Lagos.

The officers, who defied the early morning heavy downpour, embarked on the walk as a test of their fitness and to keep them fit for effective performance of their duties.

Shortly after the exercise, Liman told journalists that the military was expected to be fit at all times to be able to carry out its statutory assignment, hence the monthly route march.

The Commandant said 471 officers and men that comprised both senior and junior officers participated in this month’s edition of the exercise.

“The military is expected to have a squad fit at all times for operations. We organise this event every month to test their fitness. Today, we had seven kilometres because of the rain, but normally, we do 10 kilometres,” he said.

Also, Air Vice Marshal Nnamdi Ekeh, who was invited as a special guest at the march, stated that the exercise was routine in the armed forces.

Ekeh stressed that military personnel were expected to be fit at all times, hence the march.