The commander of the 31 Artillery Brigade, Brigadier General Kabir Rabiu, has issued a firm warning to troops guarding the Zungeru Hydroelectric Power Plant: stay focused, stay sharp, and don’t let anything—especially your phone—distract you from the job.
During a two-day inspection tour on Monday and Tuesday, Rabiu walked the grounds of the critical facility and the nearby Zungeru Cemetery as part of his familiarisation visits across the brigade’s area of responsibility. His message was direct. Personnel were told to keep smartphone use to a minimum while on duty, and only when authorised or operationally necessary. Social media, he made clear, can wait.
The general didn’t stop at digital distractions. He also took aim at drug abuse, betting, and gambling, warning that such habits erode discipline, damage health, and blunt the edge of operational effectiveness. In his view, a soldier’s first loyalty is to the mission, and anything that undermines that is a threat.
At the power plant, Rabiu met with facility management and praised the troops for their dedication to protecting the strategic installation. The plant’s manager, Engineer Alfa Isah, returned the compliment, acknowledging the soldiers’ professionalism and commitment to safeguarding the site.
Earlier in his tour, Rabiu stopped by the Niger State Command of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, NSCDC, where he pushed for tighter collaboration and intelligence sharing among security agencies. The goal: take the fight to bandits and other criminal elements more effectively. He stressed that timely information exchange and mutual support are non-negotiable when it comes to protecting lives, property, and the nation’s critical infrastructure.
The commander also visited the 313 Artillery Regiment, where he received briefings on both operational and administrative matters. He commended the officers and soldiers for their sacrifices, urging them to maintain discipline, professionalism, and readiness at all times.
The visits, according to the brigade, were designed to assess ongoing operations, lift troop morale, and strengthen security cooperation with sister agencies and the managers of the country’s vital installations. For the troops at Zungeru, the message was clear: vigilance is not optional.
