Nigerian Army will conduct more exercises to sharpen personnel skills and also tackle emerging security challenges in the country.
The Chief of Army Staff, Lt.-Gen. Tukur Buratai, disclosed this yesterday at the opening of the 2nd and 3rd quarters Chief of Army Staff Conference in Abuja.
Buratai said the operations are aimed at exposing personnel to real time operational scenarios as against simulated training situations.
Last year the army introduced Exercise Harbin kunama, Crocodile smiles, and Python dance. Currently, exercise Egwu Eke – Python Dance II is underway in the five South-east states – Enugu, Imo, Anambra, Abia, Ebony and Cross River in the South South.
He said: “I have given the necessary directives for officers to embark on mission specific training at home and overseas. This is in addition to effort in strengthening and exploring own local institutions. Commanders at all levels are to ensure that orientation cadres are conducted for young officers and soldiers posted to units in order to enshrine aspects of unit regimentation early in them.”
Burutai charged commanders in theatre of operations to imbibe the spirit of in-theatre training based on terrain and the changing “tactics of adversary.”
He noted that evolutionary and global security threats were being influenced political, economic, social and technological factors.
“Therefore, the need for regular improvement on the existing capacity of the Nigerian Army to be able to deal with present and future security threats is imperative.
“To achieve this, it is paramount to carry out accurate threats assessment in the formulation of the nation’s security policies which would enhance the ability of the Nigerian Army to deal with these emerging internal security threats.”
In an interview with newsmen later, the army chief said that exercise and training in the army were continuous process but that they were only known to the public when carried out on a large scale.
“Since 2015, we have been holding series of exercises,” he said, adding that the exercises were to reassure Nigerians that the army and other security agencies were concerned about their safety and security.
