The Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lt. –General Tukur Buratai, said the concept of “Super Camp” introduced by the Nigerian Army in achieving positive results and has increased troops confidence not only in the North east but across the country.
The Army Chief said this Sunday when he paid operational visit to Tarkwa Bay, location of army “Super Camp” and Exercise Crocodile Smile IV, in Lagos State.
The Nigerian Army established “Super Camps” recently in North east and some parts of the country to ensure that the fight against terrorists, armed banditry, kidnapping and other security challenges in the country are nipped in the bud.
The Super Camps concept is aimed to ensure higher capacity for swift mobility to take on the adversary, take the fight to them and deny terrorists, bandits and kidnappers the freedom of action.
The COAS said the success of the concept was not unconnected to the renewed zeal of officers and soldiers of the army in the north east and across the country.
“Based on our own threat analysis over the period and haven evaluated our actions the challenges that we encountered in operating along the conventional approach, we felt it was necessary to have a new approach through the super camp concept,” he said.
Buratai said exercise Crocodile Smile, Ayem Akpatuma (Cat Race), and Atilogwu Udo, are being operated along the concept of “Super Camp”, noting that the exercises had also achieved positives results through the concept.
“But the greatest result that we are receiving is in the north east,” he said.
“It has completely changed the troops’ mode of operation, it has increased the troops confidence and it has given them the ability to project and reach up to the terrorist’s hideouts along the main routes.
“It has also given more confidence to the people there because people are getting more confident and it is quite encouraging.
“We will continue with this concept and develop it further to make it more formidable, stronger and explore all its advantages and expand it further due to the benefit of our operations, for the benefit of the synergy with other security agencies and the sister services.”
Addressing the troops, the Army Chief charged them to take their training with all seriousness at all times.
“Wthe e must learn and continue to learn, if you train hard now, when the time requires real operation, it will be easy,” he said.
“I expect everyone to follow the exercise seriously. I am here to see you and I must say that 81 Division is doing well.”
He also commended the 81 Division for its achievement within the period that the exercise began.
“Let me congratulate the troop especially on the civil-military relation, the medical, educational outreach has been well conducted, the anti-criminal activities has achieved a good result,” he said.
