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Four hundred and fifty-two recently commissioned officers of the Nigerian Army are undergoing leadership and regimentation course in Yobe and Taraba states.
The officers, mostly in the rank of Second Lieutenant, were commissioned after successfully completing their five-year and nine-year military training at the Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA) and Short Service Training in Jaji, Kaduna State.
The officers, including 26 females, are being trained at the Modern Infantry Battallion, Sarti Baruwa, Taraba State, and 241 Recce Model Battalion, Nguru, Yobe State.
They are being trained in basic military regimentation, including leaderhip, management, change of guard, tattoo, parades, guard mounting, wedding and burial ceremonies, how to organise training for soldiers at their unit levels to enhance their proficiency and basic military operations.
The aim is to enable them conduct themselves well and lead properly in whatever units they find themselves so as not to embarrass the service.
Before now, commissioned officers were trained at the Modern Infantry Batallion, Sarti, set up in 2016 by the Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant-General Tukur Buratai, to formally induct them into the service. However, because of the large number of officers this time around, the army authorities opted to use two training centres, which would last three months.
The officers would be deployed to their various units upon the completion of their training.
Anti-terror war: Nigerian-made mine-resisitant vehicles perform wonders
The Nigerian Army said its locally manufactured mine-resistant ambush protected (MRAP) vehicles are performing wonders in the on-going counter-insurgency war in the North-East.
The vehicles, nicknamed Ezugwu, after the manufacturer, Major General Victor Ezugwu, and deployed to the North-East were said to have dealt a heavy blow on Boko Haram terrorists who tried to attack some military locations in Borno State, with heavy casualty.
Scores of the terrorists were killed and several arms and ammunition, equipment, food items, drugs and improvised explosive devices (IED) recovered by the soldiers. The army said the indigenous pro-force MRAP employed during the encounter proved to be a reliable fighting machine, as it provided the required mobility, protection and firepower for the troops. 
It noted that the lethal war machine has proved beyond reasonable doubt that Nigeria was successful at local defence equipment manufacturing.
Guards Brigade holds sports week
The Guards Brigade, Nigerian Army, has started its training week for the first quarter of the year with a sports week. The event took place at the Mambilla Barracks and it has as contestants all the battalions that make up the brigade, namely, 7, 102, 176, 177, Guards Battalion and the Guards Brigade Battalion.
Activities of the event, which ends today, include football, basketball, badminton, squash, volleyball, boxing, table tennis, combat relay, taekwondo, marathon and judo.
Buratai solicits Egypt’s support to fight Boko Haram
The Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lieutenant-General Tukur Buratai, has solicited the support of the Egyptian government to fight insurgency and other emerging security threats bedevilling the country.
He said the appeal has become necessary given the long-standing diplomatic and military relationship between Nigeria and Egypt, adding that several officers and men of the Nigerian Army have undergone special combat training in Egyptian military institutions. 
The COAS made the appeal when he received the Egyptian Ambassador to Nigeria, Mr. Assem Elseify, at the Army Headquarters, Abuja. He said cooperation between the two countries would go a long way to curb the challenges of terrorism in Africa and other emerging security threats.
Elseify promised his government’s support for the Nigerian Army. He said he was at Army Headquarters to strengthen the relationship between Egypt and Nigeria in critical areas of security and national development.
Army partners foreign institutions on research, development
The Nigerian Army has entered a partnership with renowned foreign institutions to boost its capacity in research and development.
Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lieutenant General Tukur Buratai, who made this known recently, listed the institutes to include Kings College London, United Service Institute of India, Harvard Kennedy School in the United States and the Royal United Service Institute of London.
He disclosed this at the inauguration of the new office complex of the Nigerian Army Resource Centre (NARC), in Abuja. He described the partnership as very significant, historic and commendable. He said the army took the bold step to boost its human capacity and research and development capabilities: “The NARC is a think tank that provides intellectual research, promotes workshops and seminars, and provides solutions to the army, Defence Headquarters and other security agencies.”
The COAS expressed the hope that the centre, which has the capacity to generate ideas towards addressing issues of defence and security in the country, would achieve its dream.
The two-storey complex has three halls, three syndicate and three breakout rooms, situation rooms, offices, a 16-man capacity lift, e-learning centre and e-library. The centre is also equipped with a high-definition and robotic multimedia system, CCTVs, 233KVA electric power line, and a 350KVA standby generator.
