Forty out of 79 military personnel drawn from the Nigerian Army (NA), Nigerian Navy (NN), Ghanian Navy (GN) have been certified fit for special and rigorous military assignments.
Their certification was sequel to their completion of a 24-week intensive training tagged “Basic Operating Capability Course 14” by the NN’s Special Boats Services (SBS) designed to develop men with strongest characters, who would give their all to accomplish an assigned mission.
The operatives were tested on tactical riverine operations, conventional, desert and mountain warfare, assymentric warfare and air assaults, exercises that 39 of the entrants could not withstand.
Speaking at the graduation ceremony yesterday, Flag Officer Commanding (FOC) Naval Training Command (NAVTRAC) Rear Admiral Obi Ofodile said he was confident the graduands could individually withstand and undertake challenges that 100 regular personnel would.
He said the SBS was borne out of the country’s need to tackle issues of militancy and piracy, adding that
“When the police are overwhelmed, the military, which is a stronger force is invited. You also discover discover that where we have serious internal security challenges as was in the case of the Niger Delta, special forces are usually deployed.
“The importance of the SBS cannot be overstated when it comes to areas with such threats. No, we are not deploying SBS to the Southeast because there is no need for it. The SBS is beyond normal warfare. They are deployed for Guerrilla warfare and very serious cases, where it is difficult to demarcate between the enemies and the friends. It might interest you to know that at the beginning of Boko Haram, no commander could go out without SBS operatives embedded.
“They are deployed according to needs. As we identify areas where special forces are needed, we deploy them accordingly. One SBS is equal to a thousand troops because of what that SBS man is trained to do.
“The training here is of the best quality. Foreign military and even the Nigerian Army have been sending their personnel to the SBS for training because they know what is obtainable here.
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Navy okays 40 Nigerian, Ghanaian soldiers for special services
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