Army trains 40 local guards, to boost security in IDPs camps
The Nigerian Army have trained at least 40 security guards in an effort to improve security in displaced persons Camps within Maiduguri, Borno state capital.
Lt.-Col. Agbo Solomon, Commander, 195 Battalion who represented the General Officer Commanding(GOC), Maj.-Gen. Shuaib Waidi, said that the measure will help close some observed security gaps being exploitated by unscrupulous elements in the Camps.
He said that the security guards had undergone intensive training on small arms handling with emphasis on safety and protection, unarmed combat, how to disarm adversaries during attacks and how to defend themselves using combinations of physical combat techniques.
“They are equally trained on intelligence gathering; how to process and relay information with their own inputs using the appropriate channels. They are also trained on how to response to fire incidents which is usually recurring every year in this camp that is housing about 30,000 persons.
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He said that such kinds of initiative would be helpful in cementing civil – military relationships with the host community through encouraging them to be actively involved in securing their own communities.
He explained that its also provided a favourable platform to sensitised the IDPs on a need to be security conciouse and report any suspected movement or strange activities that would bridge peace to the security agencies,”he said
“It will be recalled that Sometimes last month, 195 under the able leadership of the Garrison Commamder conducted some cordoned operetion where we monitored some gaps.
“This camp has close to 30,000 occupants. Alot of things has been happening where Boko Haram were infiltrating into the camp. We feel we needed to have a home grown security response like this ones that were specifically created to secure the Camps,”he said.
In his remarks, Borno Commisioner Youth and Sport, Seina Buba, lauded Army and the CJTF efforts toward restoring lasting peace in the state.
Buba said that such kind of initiative would be replicated in other part of the state to ensure more protection for the IDPs.
He said that the state government was working towards ensuring that all the Camps in the state are closed so that people would returned to their respective communities.
