The British Military Advisory Training Team (BMATT) has donated a Counter-Terrorism and Counter-Insurgency Training Village to 81 Division Nigerian Army Training School (DTS), Owode, Ogun State.
The Acting Deputy Director of Army Public Relations, 81 Division Nigerian Army, Lieutenant Colonel Olabisi Olalekan Ayeni disclosed in Lagos on Thursday that the training facility will expose students to practical aspects of counter-terrorism and counter-insurgency.
The facility was commissioned on Wednesday, 20th August, 2024 in Owode Ogun state.
Speaking during the commissioning ceremony, the Chief of Army Staff (COAS) Lieutenant General Taoreed Abiodun Lagbaja, who was represented by the Chief of Training (Army), Major General Sani Mohammed commended the initiative saying the positive impact of the longstanding collaboration between the NA and BMATT in the areas of training like Counter Improvised Explosive device, Special Forces and Basic Infantry Trainings is commendable.
The Chief of Training, while commending the BMATT and the Government of the United Kingdom for the laudable project, also expressed high hopes that the facility will certainly compliment the efforts by the Division in modernizing its Training processes and facilities.
Delivering his remarks during the event, the British Deputy High Commissioner, Lagos, Mr. Jonny Baxter described the provision of training village as well as other trainings for troops of the NA as efforts to further enhance their training capacity before deploying them for CTCOIN operations.
Earlier, in his welcome address, the 81 Division Training Officer, Brigadier General OB Davies described the training as a significant tool capable of enhancing troops’ professionalism.
He noted that the training village consisting of seven buildings, accommodation areas, a training area, a market, a perimeter fence, and other facilities would give students practical experience on what they would be taught in the classrooms.
In attendance were the General Officer Commanding (GOC) 81 Division NA, Major General Farouk Umar Mijinyawa, the representative of the United Kingdom Ministry of Defence, Brigadier Martin Leach, as well as other senior officers both from the Army Headquarters and 81 Division NA.
The high points of the ceremony include the commissioning of the training village, and demonstration drill by students of DTS.
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