The Chief of Army Staff, Lt.-Gen. Kenneth Minimah, on Tuesday said over 600 army officers have so far been trained from a range of specialist courses at different military institutions abroad, while new military equipment have been acquired to boost the fighting capacity of security forces in line with current trends.

He was speaking during a training seminar for army officers held at the Armed Forces Command and Staff College, Jaji, Kaduna State.

The training, in collaboration with the British Military Advisory and Training Team, is part of the ongoing war against the Boko Haram terrorists in the North-East.

Addressing the officers at the event, Lt.-Gen. Minimah stressed the need for continuous training and re-training of army personnel for them to be able to tackle the current security challenges facing the nation.

He disclosed that the Nigerian Army had in the last one year embarked on intensive individual and group training of personnel within and outside the country, adding that such initiative is already yielding positive result with the recent onslaught against the Boko Haram insurgents in the North-East.

The Army Chief noted that the British Military Advisory and Training Team has been assisting Nigeria in the capacity building of its military forces in the areas of tactics for over 35 years. He maintained that this particular seminar will focus on operation development of the officers with the aim of making the Nigerian Army a professional force.

Head of the British Military Advisory Council, Brig.-Gen. Jonny Bourne, gave an insight into the contributions of his country in the capacity building of Nigerian military personnel.

He also expressed confidence that such training and collaboration in some key areas will assist Nigeria to overcome the current security challenges.

Over 100 officers, including Commanding and Brigade Officers, were drawn from the various army divisions and units to attend the seminar, which will last for five days.

The training focusses on capacity building development in three areas; intelligence and analysis, operational capacity building and force sustainment. These areas, according to the organisers of the seminar, are critical in the effort by the Nigerian Army to defeat the current security challenges.

•Adapted from a Channels TV report. Photo shows soldiers during a practice session.