Date: 2016-09-01

At least 400 officers of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) have been trained on how to handle various types of weapons.

The training comes as part of measures to complement the effort of the Nigerian Armed Forces in tackling insecurity in Nigeria.

The exercise was conducted by the 22 Armoured Brigade of the Nigerian Army, Sobi in Ilorin, the Kwara State's capital.

Speaking on Wednesday at the passing out ceremony of the second batch of the 200 officers, the Brigade's Chief of Staff, Colonel Ola Falade, who represented the Commandant, sought more roles for the NSCDC, especially in the area of Nigeria's internal security.

He said the corps were trained in weapons handling and expressed the confidence that they could now handle the weapons professionally.

Colonel Falade noted that the NSCDC could complement in tackling insecurity, saying they could take over most of the internal security operations while the military would focus on more serious challenges.

He pointed out that Nigeria could emulate other developed countries where the military deals with major challenges facing the country. The Kwara State Commandant of NSCDC, Awili Pedro, said the training would be a continuous process for the officers of the NSCDC.

Some of the graduating participants expressed their gratitude to the Federal Government and the NSCDC for giving them the opportunity to take part in such training. They expressed hope that it would make them more disciplined in all ramifications.