Joint Military Training: The Elixir for Fight Against Insecurity

Joint Military Training: The Elixir for Fight Against Insecurity

By Abdulsalam Mahmud

If there is one thing that the Nigerian citizens desire, it is a quick fix for the nation’s security woes. The prevailing insecurity in the land has lingered for over a decade now.

With Boko Haram and the Islamic State of West African Province, ISWAP, terrorism, armed banditry, oil theft, violent secessionists’ agitations, and kidnapping for ransom, among other criminalities persisting, Nigeria’s plate of security challenges is indeed full.

The myriad of security problems plaguing Africa’s Giant is not only affecting the country’s socio-economic growth. It is also threatening its corporate entity. The statistics of citizens whose lives have been lost to pervasive insecurity are frightening.

Millions of Nigerians have become refugees in their fatherland. States, towns and villages that were once-upon-a-time labelled as home of peace and hospitality are now theatre of horror, where even the brave dares not visit.

The grim reality of the country’s security dilemma notwithstanding, the Nigerian military and other security agencies have not failed in their responsibilities.

They have ensured that enemies of the State do not have their way in destabilizing the country. In particular, officers and men of the Nigerian military in Borno, and Yobe States have effectively been prosecuting the counter-insurgency war with uncommon gallantry, zeal and finesse.

In Zamfara, Katsina, Sokoto, Kebbi, and Niger States, troops of the Nigerian Armed Forces deployed for Operation Hadarin Daji are giving bandits a bloody nose. In the last two years alone, over 200,000 Boko Haram-ISWAP fighters and their families renounced terrorism.

The mass surrendering of insurgents in the North East was heralded by the renewed onslaught of Operation Hadin Kai’s troops (against terrorists) after Major General Christopher Gwabin Musa took over at the Theatre Command in June 2021.

Now as the Chief of Defence Staff, CDS, General Musa, is having a thought for extremist groups, and other daredevil criminals in the country. But it is not one that is good. It is one that will eventually see the chapter of Boko Haram-ISWAP closed permanently in the counter-insurgency history.

Gen. Musa envisioned a military that will speedily tame marauding criminals whose nefarious acts are again rearing their ugly heads. To make that an instant reality, he has just emphasized the need for enhanced joint-training and exercises within the Armed Forces of Nigeria to ensure operational efficiency.

Musa made the call at the opening of the Strategic National Security Exercise (Ex STRANEX), organised by the National Defence College (NDC) in collaboration with Services’ War Colleges in Abuja.

He said the armed forces are currently fighting asymmetric war and various forms of security challenges that require special joint trainings to build the requisite capacities.

Musa said the joint training efforts are aimed at improving the competencies of personnel, in line with his leadership concept. He said the military would continue to provide support to Nigeria Police and other security agencies internally, to enable them achieve success in a joint environment, since no individual organisation could do it alone.

According to him, it is pertinent to state that the armed forces are continuously advancing new training strategies aimed at buildings and strengthening resilience on the conduct of joint operations among the services.

“Recently, the training curriculum of the services war colleges were harmonised to provide the right training package for operational level commander to gain requisite proficiency in the conduct of joint military operations.

“In line with this, the Defence Headquarters approved the conduct of this joint training exercise to create opportunity for participants across the armed forces and sister agencies.

“This will help to synchronise efforts between the military strategic and operational levels of command. It is my belief that this training exercise will in no small measure better the lot of the participants in the conduct of joint operation and advanced strategic military and operational levels,’’ he said.

Musa said this is even more expedient as the environment in which the armed forces operate is becoming increasingly complex and uncertain. “Thus, to be effective and efficient, we must train together at every given opportunity under conditions that are as realistic as possible,” he said.

The Commandant of NDC, Rear Adm. Olumuyiwa Olotu, said the various security threats confronting the country are constantly evolving beyond the scope of a single service or agency. The commandant of NDC attributed this to the need for a seamless interface to tackle the dynamics of those challenges.

Olotu said that combating the challenges posed by contemporary security threats required realistic and effective joint operations, adding that training institutions must continually be forward-thinking and innovative in the execution of their training mandates.

“In line with this reality, the DHQ has shown increasing commitment to intensifying joint training exercises as contained in the Training Directive. This brought about the harmonisation of NDC Ex CRISIS MANAGEMENT and Ex SKY LOCK of the Services’ War Colleges to be conducted as a joint training exercise commencing this year.

“Ex STRANEX is originally designed to practice and develop participants’ understanding and skills in the art of Strategic Decision-Making Process during crisis management using the elements of national power. The Ex STRANEX is set at both the grand strategic, military strategic and operational levels to aid proper understanding of Higher Management of Defence,” he said.

The commandant said the joint training exercises would enhance the capacity of the participants to operate across the full spectrum of joint military operations. He thanked the CDS for his insight, encouragement and material contribution towards making the maiden EX STRANEX a success.

Mahmud Abdulsalam is Deputy Editor, PRNigeria