Nigerian Army has trained 40 security guards to improve security in internally displaced persons camps within Maiduguri, the Borno State capital.
Lt.-Col. Agbo Solomon, Commander, 195 Battalion who represented the general officer commanding (GOC), maj.-gen. Shauib Waidi, said that the measure will help close some observed security gaps being exploited 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 respond to fire incidents which are usually recurring every year in this camp that is housing about 30,000 persons.
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 said it also provided a favourable platform to sensitise the IDPs on a need to be security conscious and report any suspected movement or strange activities that would bridge peace to the security agencies.
“It could be recalled that sometime last month, 195 under the able leadership of the Garrison commander conducted some cordoned operation where we monitored some gaps.
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