Follow Us on Google
From Tony Osauzo, Benin
The 2 Division, Nigerian Army, at the Ekehuan cantonment, Benin, began its annual Inter-Brigade combat proficiency competition.
Five formations under the 2 Division will be competing in various activities during the four-day exercise.
The General Officer Commanding (GOC), 2 Division, Maj-Gen Gold Chibuisi, in his opening remarks, said the competition was in line with the Army Headquarters training directive for the year.
He explained that the event is aimed at improving the standard of battle readiness, physical fitness, strength professionalism and developing a spirit of comradeship among the cadre of troops in a joint environment.
Represented by Brig-Gen Sani Abdullahi, Brigade Commander 4 Brigade, Chibuisi noted that the goals and objectives were as pertinent as repositioning the Nigerian Army to better discharge its responsibilities.
He, therefore, urged the participants to prepare themselves to be challenged, inspired and exhibit the spirit of sportsmanship in order to attain the highest standard of professionalism to achieve the Chief of Army Staff’s vision of “A Professional Nigerian Army Ready to Accomplish Assigned Missions within a Joint Environment in Defence of Nigeria”.
Read also: Osun assembly passes Ilesa university bill into law
Besides, the GOC stated that the annual event was organised for officers within Major and 2nd Lieutenant rank brackets and “is designed to improve the leadership qualities of Junior commanders, their initiatives and prepare them for higher responsibilities in a joint environment”, adding that “the competition could not have come at a better time when our dear nation was in need of quality leadership in the military.
“It is our duty to collectively and patriotically see ourselves as the vanguard for the enthronement of ideas that will elicit nation building; and this type of competition is one of such ideas, as our contributions to nation building are invaluable,” Gen Chibuisi added.
Earlier, Brig-Gen Sani Abdullahi, Brigade Commander 4 Brigade, in his opening remarks, said that “an Army is only as strong as the training it provides its personnel in the discharge of its roles.
Abdullahi, represented by the Brigade Chief of Staff, Col W Diriya, noted that it was against this backdrop that exercise and competition of this nature were enshrined in the training calendar of the Nigerian Army.
He said the essence of the competition was to better position troops to meet contemporary challenges and enhance human development capacity, adding that this was in tandem with the Chief of Army staff’s vision.
The participating formations include 4 Brigade Benin; 22 Brigade, Ilorin; 32 Artillery Brigade, Akure; 2 Division Garrison, Ibadan; and 42 Division Engineers/52 Signal Brigade/Engineer Construction command, Ibadan.
The activities to be competed in are drills, combat swimming, map reading, weapon/shooting as well as physical fitness.
