The Nigerian Army will conduct more exercises to sharpen personnel skills and prepare them to tackle emerging security challenges in the country, the Army leadership has revealed.
The disclosure was made by the Chief of Army Staff, Lt.-Gen. Tukur Buratai on Monday at the commencement of the 2nd and 3rd Quarter Chief of Army Staff Conference in Abuja.
The exercises were set up to help personnel focus on real time operational scenarios as against simulated training situations, Buratai revealed.
The army chief 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.”
Army exercise, “Egwu Eke” – Python Dance II is currently ongoing in the five South East states – Enugu, Imo, Anambra, Abia, Ebony and Cross River in the South South.
Buratai told formation commanders in theatre of operations to practise in-theatre training based on terrain and the changing “tactics of adversary.”
He held that evolutionary and global security threats were being influenced by political, economic, social and technological factors.
Buratai said: “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.”
Buratai added later in an interview after the program that exercises and training in the army were going on continuously, but only gets to public knowledge when carried out on large scale.
He said since 2015, the Army has been holding series of exercises as the exercises are aimed at reassuring Nigerians that the army and other security agencies are not bluffing about security.
