The Nigerian Army Small Arms Championship (NASAC), with firepower demonstration, commences in Sambisa Forest in Borno State on Monday.
Announcing the NASAC yesterday at a news conference in Maiduguri, Chief of Training and Operation, Maj-Gen. David Ahmadu, said the objectives of the championship is to sharpen the marksmanship skills of military personnel.
“The formations will be competing in marksmanship, with the best formation carting away the prestigious Chief of Army Staff’s trophy,” Ahmadu disclosed.
This is just as spokesman of Nigerian Army, Brig-Gen. Sani Usman said a Boko Haram bomb-making factory at Gombole village was destroyed on Thursday by troops of Operation Lafiya Dole in Konduga Council.
The troops also rescued 10 women and children held captives by the insurgents in the village.
Usman, in a statement in Maiduguri yesterday, said troops of the 103 Battalion of Operation Lafiya Dole discovered the factory during a clearance operation at Gombole.
He said the troops also rescued four women and six children held captive by the terrorists and recovered four suicide vests, four stolen military desert camouflage and three motorcycles from the insurgents.
He said the troops neutralised a number of the insurgents during the operation, while others fled, adding: “Unfortunately, a soldier sustained injury and was evacuated by the Nigerian Air Force. The soldier is in stable condition.”
He said troops have been conducting clearance and mop operations in areas, as the insurgents were suspected to have hidden there after they were dislodged from Sambisa Forest in December last year.
According to Ahmadu, small arms championship was designed to consolidate on the total defeat and routing of Boko Haram terrorists from their operation headquarters of Camp Zairo in Sambisa Forest.
On other activities of championship, he said: “The five-day championship will also mark the commencement of the ongoing plan to move speedily and make the forest general area safe for habitation and subsequently make it an area for the Nigerian Army training activities.
“To this end, provision has been made for the opening of more roads and construction of culverts and bridges by the Army engineers to facilitate easy movements to the general area.
“This will enable Nigerian Army to test its infantry weapons, armoured tanks and artillery guns, as well as various weapons in its inventory to enhance marksmanship of the its personnel.
“This could further emphasise the Army’s efforts and resolve in meeting and sustaining the constitutional role of defending the territorial integrity of the nation, as well as commitment to peace and security in various parts of the country.”
He urged the people of the state not to panic, as their safety and wellbeing would be guaranteed.
Ahmadu, however, urged the public to remain on high alert and be security conscious by reporting any suspicious movements of individuals and groups of people to the military and other security agencies in the northeast.
“The fleeing insurgents from military operations in the northeast have forced them to hibernate among innocent members of the communities,” he said.
He said other activities of the championship include medical outreach in Bama, Konduga, Magumeri and Maiduguri metropolis, educational workshop for teachers, relief support to displaced persons within the Seven Division area of responsibility and security awareness meeting with traditional rulers.
