NIGERIAN ARMY TRAINING INSTITUTION VOWS TO ENHANCE COLLABORATION FOR REALISTIC TRAINING OF PERSONNE

By Gambo Abubakar Kaduna

The Commander of the Nigerian Army Training Centre (NATRAC), Major General John Sokoya, has called for enhanced collaboration between NATRAC and the Training and Doctrine Command Nigerian Army (TRADOC), to administer effective and realistic training to personnel of the Nigerian Army (NA).

 Maj Gen Sokoya made the call on while paid a familiarisation visit to the Commander  TRADOC NA, Major General Kevin Aligbe, in Minna, Niger State. 

He however stressed that, the visit was aimed at strengthening the existing partnership between the two critical institutions of the Nigerian Army in line with the Chief of Army Staff’s (COAS) Command Philosophy to effectively tackle contemporary and hybrid security threats facing the country  in a Joint Operational Environment. 

 The Commander also described TRADOC NA as the hub and  brain trust of the NA,  emphasising its role as a custodian  of army doctrine which has connection with all forms of training that assist in operational  development and training standardisation. 

He further highlighted TRADOC’s critical role in the formulation and execution of NA Training Directives, noting that  constructive collaboration between TRADOC and NATRAC is essential for conducting realistic and mission-specific training for troops on behalf of the Army. 

 The Commander also appreciated the Commander TRADOC NA for window given to him to come and discuss important issues concerning enhancement of realistic training, adding that NATRAC conducts wider range of training for other security agencies. 

“NATRAC  is soliciting support of TRADOC to prepare for the subsequent  EXERCISE MUGUN BUGU which is the highest Army level field training exercise. 

The Commander however commended TRADOC for its pivotal role in the coordination and successful execution of EXERCISE MUGUN BUGU I, II and  III, a large-scale operational  training  designed to test and refine the operational effectiveness and combat readiness  of NA formations and units through training institutions. 

In his addressed, the Commander TRADOC NA, Maj Gen Aligbe, described the visit as timely and mission-driven, emphasising that the collaboration between TRADOC and NATRAC remains vital to the formulation of training policies that  will boost the performance of the Nigerian Army 's  formations and units in the field for better operational outcomes.

Maj Gen Aligbe lauded NATRAC for its commitment to continuous training of formed and capacity enhancement of troops through realistic exercises. 

“When you train together, you fight better together. Command and control is much easier when elements of a unit understand each other in the field. Such joint training initiatives have significantly improved the Army’s preparedness to address the country’s mutating security threats,” he said.

The Commander TRADOC NA  thanked the Commander NATRAC  for sparing  time and space out of tight schedules  to come to TRADOC for operational and training  discourse.