Haske Biyu: Joint/Multi-Agency Ops. Training Exercise Kicks-Off in Jaji: It’s a Cross Fertilization of Ideas in Security Management-Commandant AFCSC

The inauguration ceremony for Exercise Haske Biyu has taken place at Danjuma Hall of Armed Forces Command and Staff College, Jaji.

Ex-Haske Biyu is a 3-weeks Joint and Multi-Agency training exercise that is conducted yearly as part of the curriculum for the Senior Course Students with the inclusion of participants from other security agencies and relevant stakeholders in Civil Society and NGOs.

Welcoming participants, the Director Joint Studies Armed Forces Command and Staff College Brig Gen JO Irefin said that the Exercise is organised to enhance the collective training efforts of participating agencies to enable them carryout their responsibilities more efficiently, as the training forms the basis for synergy of efforts amongst various stakeholders involved in internal security Operations in Nigeria.

According to the Director, this year’s focus is geared towards the security challenges in the North-East and North-Central and most recently, the herdsmen/farmers clashes which has become a common feature in almost every part of the country.

These criminal acts have resulted in a large number of internally displaced persons, destruction of Government installations and slowed down commercial activities, thus affecting the overall economic development of the nation.

He said ‘Haske Biyu Exercise’ will expose participants to the peculiarities and challenges associated with the conduct of Operations in a low intensity conflict and Counter insurgency environment, which will significantly highlight the role of every security agency concerned, their capabilities and limitations.

He therefore advised all participants to take advantage of the opportunity to concentrate and learn from the series of lectures, presentations, play lets, demonstrations and interactive sessions during this period and to proffer practical and workable solutions to problems associated with internal security and Counter insurgency.

The Commandant Armed Forces Command and Staff College, Air Vice Marshal Lawal Shittu Alao in his opening remarks, welcomed participants and reiterated the relevance of the exercise in view of the dynamics of global security and the dictates of current national security challenges.

According to the Commandant, Exercise Haske Biyu is apt and timely because it provides a platform for the cross fertilization of ideas which will enhance cooperation and collaboration between stakeholders for the development of sustainable conflict resolution and management mechanisms.

AVM Alao emphasized on the use of soft power as an effective tool for termination of conflicts and urged participants to consider it as a way of ending conflicts and not necessarily the use of hard power.

 The Exercise Sponsor Lt Col Munir Sani while answering questions said that Ex Haske Biyu affords participants the opportunity to come together under one roof and discuss the security threats in the nation and also to brainstorm on how to provide succour for internally displaced persons.

Lt Col Sani stated that the security issues in the country cannot be addressed by one security agency alone pointing out that all agencies of government have a role to play, including NGOs.

He said this 3 weeks will enable participants bring out the desired solutions to the problems.

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