The Central Naval Command (CNC), Yenagoa, Bayelsa, on Monday, commenced the retraining of its men in marksmanship and weapon handling to reduce collateral damage during engagements.
The Field Officer Commanding (FOC), CNC, Yenagoa, Rear Adm. Samson Bura, led officers and ratings to the training exercise.
The exercise, which was held at the 5 Battalion Barracks of the Nigerian Army, Elele, Rivers, was basically for small arms firing and range classification.
Represented by Rear Adm. Nnamdi Ekwom, the Fleet Commander, Headquarters Central Fleet, Bura said that regular qualitative training of personnel would boost performance.
He further said that such training programmes were critical to the effective security of Nigeria’s territorial integrity and resources.
Bura said that the exercise was a testament to the navy’s commitment to excellence, precision and dedication to personnel capacity development.
He urged the participants to be safety conscious during the exercise, saying, “we must conduct this exercise without incident or injury”
“The handling of firearms and live ammunition requires utmost caution, discipline, and adherence to established protocols.
“It is imperative that every personnel present today maintains a vigilant focus on safety procedures.
“Remember that the success of this exercise depends not only on our skills and accuracy, but on our unwavering commitment to safety.
“Our goal today is to enhance our proficiency, readiness, and operational capability,” he said.
The commander further said that firearm handling skills remained critical to the navy’s mission to protect the nation.
He urged the personnel to approach the exercise with seriousness and dedication in the interest of national security.(NAN)
By Shedrack Frank
