The Nigerian Defense Academy (NDA) has asked the communities that are close by not to become alarmed if they hear the sound of gunfire during the last outdoor field training exercise that the cadets will be participating in.
In a statement made in Kaduna, the Public Relations Officer of the academy, Major Victor Olukoya, said that the final exercise will consist of the 70 Regular Course Army, Airforce Regiment, and Direct Short Service Course 27 Army, and Course 31 Airforce. They will be conducting the exercise in the states of Plateau and Kaduna under the moniker Exercise Camp Highland. The exercise is scheduled to take place between July 30 and August 11, 2023.
During the live shooting portion of the drill, he strongly advised the residents of Aninkwa, Insame, and any other nearby settlements to keep away from the region.
According to the statement, the exercise will test the cadets’ command and control abilities, physical fitness, and leadership skills, among other military competencies. The statement also added that the exercise is an important military training activity that is used to determine whether or not the cadets are ready to be commissioned as officers in the Nigerian Armed Forces.
He went on to clarify that portions of the exercise would be held in the state of Plateau, including a Map Reading Exercise at Heipang and Adventure Training at the Citizenship and Leadership Training Centre in Shere Hills, Jos, between the dates of 30 July and 4 August 2023.
He stated that tactical drills and battle inoculation drills would take place in the Kachia general area from the 31st of July to the 11th of August 2023. At the same time, he appealed to the communities that live around Heipang and Shere Hills, Jos in Plateau State, and informed them that they would observe mass movement of military personnel, vehicles, and equipment in the Kachia general area from the 30th of July to the 4th of August 2023.
Residents of the Katul Crossing – Fadan Kamantan axis in the Zangon Kataf Local Government Area of Kaduna State would also be required to observe the same tactical drills from the 31st of July to the 11th of August 2023, according to the statement. These drills would involve the simulation of firing small arms and artillery fire.
He advised the people living in these areas to notify the police in their area about any potential threats to their safety.
He stated that the live firing of small arms, amour, and artillery weapons would be part of the battle inoculation that would take place from the 8th to the 11th of August 2023 within the Military Exercise Area close to the Nigerian Army Base Camp in Kachia.