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Army moves to boost intelligence gathering via indigenous language

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Army moves to boost intelligence gathering via indigenous language

Army moves to boost intelligence gathering via indigenous language

In a bid to boost operational efficiency through intelligence gathering, the Nigerian Army has continued to train its personnel on indigenous language proficiency.

The reports gathered that a total of 124 personnel comprising 39 officers and 85 soldiers, graduated from the Nigerian Army Resource Centre (NARC) 9th Indigenous Languages Proficiency Course 9/2022 on Friday in Abuja.

Speaking at the ceremony, the Chief of Army Staff, Lt.-Gen. Faruk Yahaya, represented by the Chief of Administration, Maj.-Gen. Usman Muhammed said the nature of the current security environment was characterised by a plethora of challenges requiring military attention.

READ ALSO: Eid-El-Fitri: COAS Urges Personnel To Remain Apolitical

Yahaya said that all army operations were intelligence-driven, adding that their ability to surmount the security challenge would largely be dependent on intelligence gathering.

He said effective intelligence gathering could be facilitated by an understanding of the local languages of the personnel involved in the operations.

The COAS expressed optimism that the course would be of immense benefit to the participants and the Nigerian army considering the changing nature of the nation’s domestic security environment.

According to him, there is no gainsaying that the nation’s security environment is undermined by the current threats, which include among others things, terrorism banditry and other challenges in virtually all parts of the country.

He said the army would continue to redouble its efforts with a view to stemming the menace of insecurity and guaranteeing peaceful co-existence in all parts of the nation.

According to him, the current domestic security reality has necessitated the deployment of the Nigerian army troops to the 36 states of the federation, including the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

“Suffice to say that all these operations are intelligence-driven.

“Therefore, our ability to adequately and professionally respond to these domestic security challenges will depend essentially on credible and reliable intelligence, which is dependent on the ability to communicate with the local population.

“The populace is being encouraged with the slogan, ‘see something, say something which depends on the ability of personnel to communicate with people within the operational area.

“Effective communication in part will essentially require some level of proficiency in the local dialect of the operating environment.

“This informs why you have learnt the three major Nigerian languages of Hausa, Igbo and Yoruba.

“Proficiency in these local languages will, therefore, hasten your speedy integration and ability to penetrate local operating environments,” he said.

Yahaya urged the graduating officers to continue to use every available opportunity to improve their current proficiency level to be able to engage in sustained conversations within their places of employment.

The Director-General of NARC retired Maj.-Gen. Garba Wahab said the course was designed to bridge the communication barriers between army personnel and the local populace in the conduct of internal security operations.

Wahab said that officers and soldiers were currently being deployed to different parts of the country, adding that there was the belief that there was a problem with intelligence gathering.

He said that security was a two-way thing which involved “securing you through you” and the need to trust those who are providing the security for them.

According to him, if you cannot talk to people, if you cannot relate with them in the language they understand, they won’t trust you.

“The belief is that speaking somebody’s language is going to inspire trust immediately, because of the belief that this is my person.

“And that’s the reason why the army challenged the centre to run this programme,” he said.

Wahab said the feedback from the previous courses had been encouraging, adding that plans were on the ground to open up the course to the general public.

The Training Officer, 81 Division Nigerian Army, Brig.-Gen. Shuaibu Nuhu, who represented the General Officer Commanding (GOC), said the language course would help the army to address security challenges.

He urged personnel who would pass through the resource centre to continue to practice their proficiency in the languages they had been trained in to enable them to be perfect.

The Course Senior, Col. Muhammed Ahmad thanked the Chief of Army Staff for the opportunity to learn and understand other languages to enhance their operational effectiveness.

Ahmad, who spoke on behalf of other participants pledged to justify the training by deploying the knowledge acquired in their various areas of responsibility.

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Troops repel Boko Haram/ISWAP attack in Gajigana, Borno

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Troops repel Boko Haram/ISWAP attack in Gajigana, Borno

By: Zagazola Makama

Troops of Operation Hadin Kai have repelled an attack by ISWAP terrorists on their Forward Operating Base (FOB) in Gajigana, Nganzai Local Government Area of Borno.

Zagazola Makama reports that the attack occurred at about 11:55 p.m. on Tuesday.

A reinforcement team joined the operation and engaged the insurgents in a clearance operation.

Sources told Zagazola that one Wednesday that several terrorists were killed while one soldier paid the supreme price in action, while another sustained injuries.

The injured personnel has since been evacuated for medical attention, while the remains of the fallen hero were moved to the 7 Division Military Morgue in Maiduguri.

Items recovered from the terrorists during exploitation include AK-47 rifle, a magazine loaded with 25 rounds of 7.62mm special ammunition, two Baofeng radios, and belted ammunition for a machine gun.

The sources added that the terrorists, who withdrew in disarray, were believed to have suffered several casualties, though the exact figure was not confirmed.

They explained that the general security situation in the area remains calm but unpredictable.

Troops repel Boko Haram/ISWAP attack in Gajigana, Borno

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CDS: African Defence Chiefs’ Summit will produce homegrown solutions to insecurity

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CDS: African Defence Chiefs’ Summit will produce homegrown solutions to insecurity

By: Zagazola Makama

The Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), Gen. Christopher Musa, says the forthcoming African Chiefs of Defence Staff Summit is designed to unite African militaries and provide indigenous solutions to the continent’s security challenges.

Musa disclosed this in an interactive session with journalists in Abuja on Saturday.

He said the summit would be the first time African defence leaders would sit together, as brothers, to openly discuss Africa’s problems and chart practical ways forward without relying on external prescriptions.

“For too long we have been seeking solutions from outside, and that has prolonged our issues. The reality is that our challenges are within us, and it is only within us that we will create the solutions,” Musa said.

According to him, the success recorded in West Africa through engagements among ECOWAS Chiefs of Defence informed the decision to scale up the initiative across the continent.

He noted that the operationalisation of the African Standby Force, which has faced delays due to challenges of doctrine, strategy and funding, would receive fresh impetus during the summit.

“This meeting gives us the opportunity to look at it holistically and get the buy-in of all Africans,” he added.

The CDS stressed that terrorism, insurgency and violent extremism were common threats across the regions, and only collective action could address them effectively.

He further emphasised the need for a “whole-of-society” approach, noting that insecurity was worsened by unproductive populations and widespread illiteracy that made youths vulnerable to extremist ideologies.

“We must go back to the African culture of brotherliness, of a community raising a child, of not allowing anything to harm your neighbour. That is the kind of solution we must revive,” Musa said.

On the level of participation, the CDS disclosed that about 90 per cent of invited countries had confirmed attendance, describing the response as overwhelmingly positive.

He said the summit would also feature dignitaries from within and outside the continent, including senior UN officials, retired service chiefs and security experts.

“The end state is a better Africa, a more secure Africa, and an Africa where we project and work for our own development. Nobody can love you more than yourself,” he said.

CDS: African Defence Chiefs’ Summit will produce homegrown solutions to insecurity

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Army troops, DSS operatives eliminate 45 bandits in Niger raid, foil attack on Kuchi

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Army troops, DSS operatives eliminate 45 bandits in Niger raid, foil attack on Kuchi

By: Zagazola Makama

Joint security forces have neutralised at least 45 armed bandits in a coordinated security operation near Kuchi town in Munya Local Government Area of Niger State.

Zagazola Makama gathered that the operation, which took place in the early hours of Monday, was jointly executed by operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS) and military tactical units acting on actionable intelligence.

The bandits, believed to be loyal to notorious kingpin Dogo Gide, were en route to launch coordinated attacks on communities around Kuchi before they were intercepted.

The source, who requested anonymity, disclosed that the insurgents estimated to be over 100 in number had mobilised from Bilbis forest in Maru Local Government Area of Zamfara and other hideouts in Kaduna State.

“The intelligence we received showed that these fighters had assembled in numbers and were planning a large-scale assault on several villages in Munya LGA,” the source said. “The operatives moved in under cover of darkness and intercepted them before they could reach their targets.”

He added that the security forces engaged the bandits in a fierce gun battle at the outskirts of Kuchi, resulting in the elimination of no fewer than 45 of the assailants, with several others escaping with gunshot wounds.

The operation also led to the recovery of multiple motorcycles, arms, and ammunition. However, five DSS operatives sustained injuries during the exchange and are currently receiving treatment at an undisclosed medical facility.

The successful operation is the latest in a string of offensives targeting criminal enclaves linked to Dogo Gide, whose network has suffered repeated blows in recent months.

Security agencies have pledged to sustain the momentum and intensify pressure on armed groups threatening peace in the North Central and North West regions.

“The terrain is difficult, but the results are encouraging. We will not relent until these threats are neutralised,” the source added.

Army troops, DSS operatives eliminate 45 bandits in Niger raid, foil attack on Kuchi

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