The Chief Of Army Staff (COAS), Lt.-Gen. Tukur Buratai, on Thursday visited the Special Forces Battalion on training at the Nigerian Army School of Infantry (NASI) Jaji to assess its level of the training.
The Acting Director, Army Public Relations, Col. Sagir Musa, in a statement on Thursday said the training comprised of elements of the 81 Battalion and newly formed 198 and 199 Special Forces Battalions.
Musa said the COAS enjoined the trainees to make the best use of the special training and new skills acquired which will be useful in the course of their current and future deployments.
According to the Army spokesperson, the rigorous special training was facilitated by the Starter Point Integrated Services.
“Buratai was visibly impressed with the level of organisation, discipline and training which border on tactics, skills at arms, rescue operation, first aid, navigation, surveillance as well as survival skills.
“The trainees were equally elated to see the COAS in their midst.
“They promised to give in their best as they look forward to their deployment in any part, – within or outside Nigeria.
“To further demonstrate the importance of physical fitness to military profession, the COAS led the troops to special forces’ push ups where the troops again became proudly excited,” he said.
Musa quoted the Commandant of NASI, Maj.-Gen. Kevin Aligbe as saying, “the officers and soldiers of these special units commenced the training on Jan. 20.
“The training which is for three consecutive months would be rounded off in the next two weeks”.
The Army spokesperson further disclosed that Buratai also inspected the Nature Conservation Area project initiated by NASI.
The Conservation Area, according to him, which is being developed within a themed park-zoo would provide a place for curiosity, research, leisure and entertainment when completed.
He said that the COAS also inspected ongoing projects at the Martin Luther Agwai International Leadership and Peacekeeping Center.
Musa added that Buratai visited the Command Engineering Depot Kaduna and inspected various locally made armoured fighting vehicles at different levels of completion.
He added that COAS commended and enjoined the Commander and his staff to keep up the ingenious work which have saved the Nation huge amount of foreign exchange that would have been spent on importation of similar vehicles.
“This feat is in furtherance of the Federal Government’s Local Content Policy and the necessity of the service to manufacture some of its war fighting equipment especially that the same equipment are not easily acquirable in the open/international market,” be said. (NAN)
