Chief of Army Staff, Lt.-Gen. Tukur Buratai, has revealed that the Army’s training and simulation exercise titled `Operation Shirin Harbin’, would also help in clearing criminal hideouts in the Alkaleri forest in Bauchi State.
Buratai said this while assessing the performance of Troops and their Commanders participating in the exercise in the Alkaleri forest.
He said apart from improving the combat readiness of the troops and the testing of high caliber weapons, the exercise would address security threats around the area.
“This area is a very good training ground but during this exercise, we will be killing two birds with a stone.
“It is a training exercise and it is also a real operation as we hope to clear any hideout of criminal gangs that are known to be operating in the fringes of the forest. This is the starting point for us to be more professional at this particular time,’’ he said.
He said the exercise had brought out the best in the Nigerian Army both in terms of troops combat readiness and in the handling of high caliber weapons.
He said some of the equipment used in the exercise had been abandoned in the workshop for many years.
According to him, some of the equipment were not usable but had been repaired and would be used in real time situation.
He said the exercise was a demonstration of the judicious use of funds allocated to the Army by government.
On his part, the Chief of Defence Staff, General Gabriel Olonisakin, said the exercise was unprecedented stressing that such exercises would return the Army to its days.
Olonisakin said the exercise would prepare troops and their equipment for present and future engagements both in Nigeria and beyond.
“This exercise which is a command exercise is aimed at training troops and their commanders.
“Having seen what we have witnessed here, I know that the commanders out there will do better than what they have been doing.
“I am impressed because for some time we have not had it this way, under this particular exercise, the correct personnel are deployed and the right equipment are used,’’ he said.
Also speaking, the Deputy Governor of Bauchi State, Nuhu Gidado, commended the Army for choosing the state for the exercise.
He said the exercise would help to address some of the security challenges confronting the state being perpetrated by some criminal elements operating from the Alkaleri forest.
`It is more than a privilege having them conduct this exercise here in Bauchi state, because for a very long time we have had pockets of criminal activities coordinated from this forest.
“This particular exercise has given us hope that our people can now live in peace,’’ Gidado said.
The exercise featured simulation exercises using tanks and other caliber of weapons as well as real combat operations deep into the forest.
The exercise is organised as part of activities marking the 2016 Nigerian Army Day Celebration.
Meanwhile, the Nigerian Army says calm has returned to the northern Borno town of Kareto after the early Monday morning attack by Boko Haram insurgents.
Army Spokesman, Col. Sani Usman, disclosed this in Bauchi.
Usman said troops of the 113 battalion, with aerial support from the Nigerian Air Force, successfully repelled the attack on the town and the battalion headquarters.
He said reinforcement had been sent to the unit to forestall any attacks while troops were still on the trail of the insurgents.
The spokesman said scores of the insurgents were killed in the attack while others escaped.
Usman said two officers and 22 soldiers, who were wounded, had been taken to Maiduguri for prompt medical attention.
“You will recall that Boko Haram terrorists attacked our troops location at Kareto this morning but were successfully repelled by our troops.
“The situation has since been brought under control and reinforcement sent to the location.
“So far, our troops had two officers and 22 soldiers wounded in the attack and they have been taken to the military hospital in Maiduguri for treatment,’’ he said.
Boko Haram insurgents attempted to enter the 113 battalion headquarters located at Kareto in an early morning attack.
The military had recently cleared many hideouts of the insurgents in Borno, Yobe and Adamawa including their purported spiritual headquarters at the Alagarno forest.
