Ibekimi Oriamaja Reports
At the weekend, Army Cadets of Regular Course 69 of the Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA) were given the order to use their newly acquired fighting abilities and competencies to address security issues in the nation by the Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lt Gen Faruk Yahaya.
At the “Battle Inoculation phase of Exercise Camp Highland,” which concluded the Army cadets’ final exercise before they graduated from the academy later in October, Yahaya delivered the invocation as the special guest of honor.
The COAS noted that with the recent review of the training curriculum at the academy, there had been a notable improvement in the quality of the cadets’ combat training, in line with NA’s deliberate capacity development effort towards addressing modern security challenges. The COAS expressed satisfaction with the level of training received by the cadets.
He was upbeat that they would contribute to continuing operational efforts to reestablish peace and security in the nation’s problematic regions as junior commanders.
The COAS thanked President Mohammadu Buhari for the trust he placed in the NA, as well as for his support and tactical advice, while stressing up that significant resources had been used to train the cadets.
He gave the president and all Nigerians the assurance that the Nigerian Army would “talk to the rebels and bandits in the language they understand” in coordination with other military and security agencies.
Exercise Camp Highland War Inoculation, according to the Commandant NDA, Maj. Gen. Ibrahim Yusuf, was the pinnacle of the Cadets’ five years of preparation before graduation and was referred to as a “baptism of the Army Cadets into battle.”
A combat team of cadets engaged in a live fire attack on a mock target as part of the exercise, which was realistically supported from the air by the Nigerian Air Force.
The commander of Training and Doctrine Command, principal staff officers from Army Headquarters, corps commanders, and the general officer commanding 1 Division were among the senior officers who observed the exercise.
A board of inquiry has been established by Headquarters Sector 2 Joint Task Force North East Operation Hadin Kai in Yobe State to determine the extent of the troops’ involvement in the killing of an Islamic preacher.
According to a statement made by Capt. Kennedy Anyanwu, Assistant Director, Army Public Relations Headquarters Sector 2, Operation Hadin Kai, the sector was undertaking an investigation to determine the identities of the suspected soldiers in cooperation with Yobe State Police Command. “In addition, the industry has established a board of inquiry to investigate the regrettable incident’s circumstances. The soldiers will be subjected to the full force of both military and civil laws at the conclusion of the investigation.
Given the sector’s attitude and zero tolerance for troop violations of the code of conduct and rules of engagement, it said: “This incident is highly regrettable. As a result, the Sector wishes to express its sympathies to the victim’s family and the good people of Yobe State and makes the commitment that justice will be done as appropriate.
