By DESMOND EJIBAS

The Nigerian Navy has commenced training for land operations to support security forces in the fight against insurgency and rising insecurity across the country.

Rear Adm. Victor Choji, Commandant of the Nigerian Navy Basic Training School, Onne, Rivers, made this known during a simulation exercise codenamed ‘Exercise Wash Down’ on Monday.

He said the decision to adopt new strategies was informed by the constantly evolving security environment in the country.

According to him, the current security landscape in the country is volatile, complex, and ambiguous, necessitating the Navy to adjust its strategies to meet present realities.

“We find ourselves in a situation where our training strategies must reflect these realities.

“Therefore, the Nigerian Navy has added a new layer to its curriculum that is mainly dedicated to land operations.

“This recognises that our trainees will be deployed to various parts of the country, including non-maritime areas,” he said.

Choji explained that Exercise Wash Down was designed to give trainees an appreciation of the real land-combat environment in which they would operate, as well as to equip them with the requisite skills.

He expressed confidence in the level of competence displayed by the trainees and praised their ongoing transformation from civilians to individuals capable of confronting security challenges.

“We witnessed when the trainees were admitted into the facility as raw civilians, but now they have learnt a lot in becoming personnel,” he added.

The commandant reiterated the navy’s mandate to ensure that personnel are adequately equipped to enable them to operate effectively in any environment.

“Until we provide our trainees with skills that will enable them to function effectively, we will not be able to achieve our mandate and mission effectively,” Choji said.

In his remarks, Maj.-Gen. Emmanuel Emekah, General Officer Commanding (GOC) 6 Division, Nigerian Army Port Harcourt, urged Nigerians to regard security as a collective responsibility rather than the exclusive duty of security agencies.

He explained that in times of war, not only the armed forces that go to war but the entire nation.

According to him, terrorists, insurgents, and other criminals perpetrating violent crimes are not only targeting the military and security agencies but also citizens.

“Security belongs to everyone, and so every individual has a role to play in securing the country.

“Citizens must support the military and security agencies because it is a fight for everybody, not just for the armed forces alone,” he noted.

Emekah stated that Nigeria’s security challenges are largely land-based and commended the Nigerian Navy for reviewing its Batch 36 training curriculum to include land-component exercises.

He said that the revision of the curriculum had become imperative because land troops were overstretched owing to ongoing security operations across different parts of the country.

“We need more men on the ground, and so we are delighted that the Batch 36 trainees, after their land-operations training, will join the field.

“I strongly believe that soon we shall see a different environment in the field, considering that most of the trainees will be supporting land operations.

“It is a joint effort, not just the armed forces but including sister services, the Police and other security agencies, and the intelligence community,” Emekah concluded. (NAN)