Following increasing security challenges in the country, the Chief of Defence Staff, General Abayomi Olonisakin has disclosed that inability by the armed forces to defeat the challenges is attributable to low levels of joint force integration among the services.
Speaking at the maiden Defence Headquarters Training Conference in Abuja, the CDS told the gathering which included Service Chiefs, PSOs, GOCs, FOCs, AOCs and Commandants of Tri-Service Training institutions, that desired levels of integration have not been achieved because “Our approach to training is at variance with our desire to have a truly integrated joint operations”.
He said, ” In the last few years, the armed forces of Nigeria has launched several joint operations, which are currently ongoing. Some of these operations include Operations Whirl Stroke, Whirl Punch, Delta Safe, Save Haven and Saharan Daji among others.
“Although these operations have been largely successful, we are yet to achieve the desired levels of joint force integration that will ensure our joint operations are seamless, achieves economy of efforts and yet potent enough to achieve the desired level of integration”.
” Historically, the armed forces of Nigeria conducted mostly single service operations with varying levels of support from sister services, the CDS said the place of joint and combined operations have necessitated the need for numerous joint efforts to address our challenges.
On the theme of the 2 day conference titled ‘Capacity Development to Combat Emerging Security Threats’, the CDS said, ” It is my belief that enhance d joint training is one of the critical steps in developing joint force capability, in addition to equipment, joint logistics and other requirements.
“It is therefore imperative that our deliberations at this conference be frank and focussed on training approaches, doctrines and effectiveness of joint operations.
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In this regard, he said, ” It is noteworthy that from the entry point of an officer at the Nigerian Defence Academy, through mid-career training at the Armed Forces Command and Staff College, up to the Strategic level course at the NDC, the armed forces of Nigeria has strived for joint training.
“This informd the review of the mandates of these Colleges, which on establishment, were single service institutions, to conduct tri-service training. Regrettably, the emphasis on joint training in these institutions have not translated to the desired level in conduct of our joint operations”.
” Therefore to achieve the desired level of our joint force capability, we need to focus on the conduct of our training at all levels. It has therefore become expedient to interrogate the conduct of our training with a view to examining whether it supports our aspiration for enhanced joint operation for the armed forces of Nigeria.
Minister of Defence, Mansur Muhammad Dan Ali represented by the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Defence, Mrs Nuratu Batagarawa said the increasing need for joint operations within the last few years is indicative of the importance of synergy and cooperation between all arms and services in the conduct of our operations.
“This joint approach to military operations has been effective and result oriented in achieving successful outcomes in addition to the single service operations.
He pointed out that training is one of the area of capacity building that requires collective and continuous review in order to better prepare for current and emerging security challenges.
In his welcome address, Chief of Training and Operations, Defence headquarters, Major General Lucky Irabor said, ” The dynamics of today’s world demand that we constantly re-evaluate our engagements, especially as military professionals, in order to enhance our effectiveness and efficiency”.
“In the course of our ardous task of combatting insecurity in Nigeria, gaps in training within the armed forces of nigeria with particular emphasis on training doctrines, concepts, procedures and policies have been observed in our joint and combined operations.
” Consequently, the CDS, directed that this conference be organized to address those gaps in line with his vision which is ‘To ensure a well motivated, trained and well equipped armed forces that is responsive to National Security Commitments”.
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