Army to raise special task force to tackle insecurity

Due to the swelling insecurity in the country, especially terrorism and kidnapping, the Nigerian Army is to set up a Special Task Force to confront emergency security challenges, said the Chief of Army Staff, Lt General Azubuike Ihejirika.

Ihejirika made the disclosure during the weekend while speaking at the graduation ceremony of the 'Basic Counter Terrorism Course' at the Nigerian Army Training Center, Kontagora, Kaduna State where a total of 2094 young soldiers -1869 males and 225 females- graduated.

According to the Army Chief, the Special Force, once established at the Army Headquarters, would not be involved in peace keeping operation or internal security operations but specialize in training and confronting any case of emergency whether within or outside the country.

His words, 'The Special Force is important to both the Army Headquarters and the nation in the sense that, if there is a situation whereby there is an emergency, we have a force you call upon and deploy immediately whether it is internal or external.'

 
Ihejirika explained that about 600 counter-terror soldiers would form the base while some senior officers would be posted to form the force properly, adding, 'They are not likely to be committed to the peace keeping operations and internal security but to be trained for attending to emergency cases.'

'With the completion of your training, you will be deployed into the field. As you go into the field, you must put into practice all that you have learn't during the training so as to reflect the hard work which your instructors have put into the training. Tackling current security challenges indeed requires competent soldiers in all aspects of  internal security duties.

'It is imperative therefore that you utilize all the combat proficiency skills you have acquired during these few weeks of intensive training to exhibit high sense of professionalism in the conduct of your assigned tasks. In doing so, you must adhere strictly to the rules of engagement', he said.