The Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lt General Waidi Shaibu, has restated the commitment of the Service to the protection of internally displaced persons (IDPs) and other vulnerable civilians.

This is as he pledged the Army’s support to civil authorities, and relevant stakeholders cross the country. The Army Chief gave the assurance yesterday when he received the Federal Commissioner, National Commission for Refugees, Migrants and Internally Displaced Persons (NCFRMI), Dr Tijani Aliyu Ahmed, on a courtesy visit to the Army Headquarters, Abuja.

The disclosure was made in a statement signed by the Acting Director, Army Public Relations (DAPR), Colonel Appolonia Anele.

She said: “General Shaibu emphasised the strong nexus between security and displacement, noting that lasting solutions to refugee and internally displaced persons’ challenges are closely tied to improved security, stability and effective civil–military cooperation.

“He stressed that the NA remains fully aligned with national efforts aimed at restoring peace and creating enabling environment necessary for humanitarian and development interventions to thrive.

“The COAS stated that through its ongoing operations across the country, the NA continues to prioritise the protection of civilians and the ensuring a secure environment that enables the safe return, resettlement and reintegration of displaced persons.