By Olayemi Esan
The Chief of Army Staff Lieutenant General Faruk Yahaya has admonished officers of the Nigerian Army to extensively deploy simulation technologies for capacity building to aid ongoing military operations across the country.
A statement on Monday by the Director Army Public Relations, Brigadier General Onyema Nwachukwu, stated that the COAS gave the charge while declaring open a 5-day Simulation Exercise codenamed: Ex Lion Heart, at the Land Forces Simulation Centre Nigeria, Giri, Abuja.
Represented by the Director of Courses, Department of Training (Army), Brigadier General Ibikunle Ajose, the Army boss said the exercise was in line with his vision for the Nigerian Army to have a professional Nigerian Army that is ready to accomplish assigned missions within a joint environment in defence of Nigeria.
The COAS commended the Centre for collaborating with relevant organisations and agencies with a wealth of experience in simulation technology to fast track its development.
General Yahaya appreciated the support of MASA Group and Bohemia Interactive Simulation making their trial versions of MASA Simulated Wargaming for Operational Readiness and Doctrine (SWORD) and the Virtual Battle Space Series 4 software, respectively available for the exercise.
We assured the Centre of requisite administrative and logistics support to make it a place of international repute.
In his address, the Director-General Land Forces Simulation Centre Nigeria, Major General Felix Omoigui said the exercise, which is jointly organised with the Defence Simulation Centre, Jaji was organized at enhancing the capacity of the technical staff of the centres and sister security agencies for operational planning and decision making.
According to him, the exercise will equally sharpen the skills of personnel of the centres and the Nigerian Army in the newly acquired simulation software.
He added that the joint exercise will further build capacity on the use of the MASA SWORD software. He expressed gratitude to the COAS for his support of the centre and for providing the needed logistics for the exercise.
The event had in attendance senior officers both serving and retired, participants drawn from various formations and units of the Nigerian Army and other security agencies.
