To increase security in the refugee camps in Maiduguri, the capital of Borno state, the Nigerian Army has trained at least 40 security guards.
The action will help eliminate some noted security holes being used by dishonest individuals in the Camps, according to Lt.-Col. Agbo Solomon, Commander, 195 Battalion, who spoke on behalf of the General Officer Commanding (GOC), Maj.-Gen. Shuaib Waidi.
The security guards, according to him, had undergone extensive training in the use of small guns with an emphasis on safety and protection, unarmed combat, how to disarm attackers during attacks, and how to defend themselves using a variety of physical combat techniques.
They receive the same training in intelligence collecting, information processing, and relaying information utilizing their own inputs and the proper channels. In this camp, which houses roughly 30,000 people, they are also trained on how to handle fire incidents, which are frequently occurring every year.
Such programs, according to him, would be beneficial in strengthening civil-military links with the host community by motivating them to take an active role in defending their own neighborhoods.
He added that it was a good platform for educating the IDPs about the need to be security-aware and alert the security agencies to any suspicious movement or unusual actions that could promote peace.
“It will be recalled that 195, under the capable direction of the Garrison Commander, conducted some restricted operations where we watched some gaps during last month.
“Nearly 30,000 people live in this camp. The area where Boko Haram infiltrated the camp has seen a lot of activity. We believe that a security response that was designed in-house and tailored to the Camps was necessary, he said.
Seina Buba, the commissioner for youth and sport in Borno, praised the Army and the CJTF in his speech for their efforts in bringing about long-lasting peace in the state.
According to Buba, similar efforts would be made in other regions of the state to give IDPs better protection.
He claimed that the state government was working to close all of the camps in the state so that residents may be sent back to their respective neighborhoods.
