The Kogi State Command of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps recently concluded an intensive weapon handling training exercise in response to escalating security challenges and the need to safeguard critical infrastructure.
No fewer than 262 personnel of the Corp were trained in weapon handling with a charge on them to uphold the ideals of the Corps.
The Kogi State NSCDC Public Relations Officer, DSC Aliyu Abdullahi, who disclosed this in a statement on Saturday quoted the State Commandant, Esther Akinlade, as saying that the officers were encouraged to demonstrate a high sense of humour, discipline, and professionalism in their service to the nation after successfully round up the range classification exercise.
The statement said, “The Commandant noted that it becomes imperative for Officers and men to acquaint themselves with the latest skills in weapon handling following the trends of attacks on Security Personnel, Security formations, Critical National Assets and Infrastructures etc, thus the need for training and retraining of personnel on weapon handling become essential and vital”.
The Commandant asserted that the personnel had undergone rigorous and intensive training for the period of 6 weeks after satisfying the basic forensic and medical requirements before finally embarking on the shooting range classification.
Akinlade stressed on the need for professionalism and strict adherence to the acceptable standard of operation of the Corps and warned thoroughly against any act of misuse or conduct that negates the ethics of firearms.
She reiterated that the essence of these exercises is to bring about maximum and better productivity to meet up with the taste of time as the whole nation is putting more hope in NSCDC sequel to the policies and strategies put in place by the Commandant General, Dr Ahmed Audi.
Akinlade appreciated the Commander, 12 Brigade of the Nigerian Army, Brig General Sidi, including other security agencies for his unflinching support towards making the exercise a success.
She added that the officers of the command were rigorously drilled in conformity to arms training both on the G3 rifle and the AK-47 rifle respectively.