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About 481 elite troops drawn from the Nigerian Army, Air Force, Navy and Police Force, completed a Special Forces training before they were deployed to fight Boko Haram in the North East.
The Director, Army-Public Relations, Colonel Sani Usman, who made this known during a monthly press conference at the Army Headquarters in Abuja Wednesday, stated that they were deployed within the last month of the ongoing counter terrorism operation.
He noted that successes in operations against Boko Haram are manifestations of Nigeria Army’s huge investment in personnel and material resources within the period.
According to Usman: “the recent achievement recorded in the North East can be attributed to the exploits of this elite force”, adding that “one additional battalion – 151 Battalion, has also completed its training and inducted into the theatre”.
He further said: “two battalions, 152 and 153 Battalions are currently undergoing training and will be inducted on completion”.
Colonel Usman also said the Army Headquarters Task Force Group is currently in the last phase of training while Nigerian Army Armoured School, Bauchi has intensified training of tank crews personnel.
He further disclosed that personnel training on Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) in the United Kingdom and the United State of America is still ongoing.
Colonel Usman, while fielding questions from Journalists, said the army would carry out search for fleeing terrorists in underground tunnels where they find such, calling on all well-meaning Nigerians to provide troops with information that might bring the fight to a quick end.
He also said there 473 officers and men under Court Martial at the Nigerian Army Headquarters garrison in Abuja, and another 106 soldiers at the 81 Division of the Army in Lagos.
Colonel Usman used the occasion to announce that the Nigerian Army Administrative Policy and Procedure has been reviewed and a one stop documentation procedure for retiring officers devised.
He said an office of the Deputy Director Retirements and Documentation was established at the Army Headquarters department of Administration with a 90 day time line of documenting and processing retiring officers’ benefits.
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