Army to hold small arms competition in Sambisa

The Nigerian Army has said the 2017 Nigerian Army Small Arms Competition (NASAC) will hold at the Sambisa forest.

This, it said, was due to total defeat of the Boko Haram terrorists at “Camp Zairo” in Sambisa forest.

While briefing newsmen at the Army Headquarters in Abuja, on Tuesday, Director, Army public relations,  Brigadier General, Sani Usman, said the Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lieutenant General Tukur Buratai, had given an order to this effect.

According to him, efforts were already in place to open more routes and construct bridges in the forest to facilitate easy access.

“The fall of Boko Haram terrorists Camp Zairo in Sambisa forest to our gallant troops have continued to attract commendation for the Nigerian Army worldwide.

“We are going to consolidate on these gains, therefore, Nigerian Army will not rest on its oars in 2017. We will continue to accord high priority to training, regimentation and welfare of the troops.

“The COAS has directed that next Nigerian Small Arms Competition (NASAC) 2017 would be conducted at the Sambisa forest.”

On how the troops were able to defeat the terrorists, he said the army, in 2016, conducted several training activities at all levels, in addition to other trainings conducted in its institutions across the country.

Part of the major training, he said, included Exercise SHIRIN HARBI and Exercise HARBIN KUNAMA.

These exercises, he said, apart from improving troops’ proficiency and testing of equipment, also sought to address the prevailing security challenges in Bauchi and Zamfara states.

“The exercises were tremendous success. The continuous raid operations and patrols conducted by troops have seriously reduced these activities and resulted in the arrests of a large number of cattle rustlers and recovery of arms, ammunition and rustled cattle,” he said.