Nigeria, US, UK, others hold joint military training

Nigeria will today participate in a three-week joint military training with special forces from The Netherlands, U.S., UK, Spain and Italy.

Director of Defence Information, Brig.-Gen. Chris Olukolade, said this in a statement, yesterday, in Abuja.

He said that the exercise would take place at the general area of the South-West and South-South coastal areas.

Olukolade said the exercise, code named AFRICAN WINDS, is being spearheaded by the Nigerian Navy.

Olukolade said: “It will be facilitated by a combined Mobile Training Teams, MTTs, of Marines and Special Forces drawn from The Netherlands, United States, United Kingdom, Spain and Italy under the auspices of African Partnership Station, APS.

“The Netherlands Navy Amphibious Support Ship, HMNLS ROTTERDAM, which is scheduled to arrive in Lagos and later proceed to Calabar, will feature as a major platform in the exercise.”

He said it was designed to improve the capacity of Nigeria’s Armed Forces to plan and execute joint operations in the maritime environment.

The director said that the exercise would also focus on training activities in Joint Maritime Security Training Centre, JMSTC, and the Nigerian Army Amphibious Training School, ATS.

Olukolade said the Army, Navy and Air Force were expected to participate “in this important training event with the Defence Headquarters, DHQ, monitoring and superintending the exercise”