Army to set up new base in Kano forest

Tukur Buratai, chief of army staff, on Friday said a forward operation base (FOB) would be set up in the once- dreaded Falgore forest in Doguwa local government area of Kano state.

The army chief announced this when he paid a visit to troops undergoing training in the forest, which once served as safe haven for banditry, cattle rustlers and kidnappers.

Buratai said the forest would henceforth serve as one of the permanent training grounds for the soldiers.

This, he said, was made possible because the Kano state government had allocated the forest to the army.

A joint exercise tagged “WAZOBI Kungama” is ongoing in the forest.

The exercise is the conclusion of training to assess the 76 Regular regular recruits of the Nigerian army and other participants in tactical, command and control, as well as all manners of maneuver warfare on counter-insurgency.

Other participants were drawn from Nigerian Army Schools of infantry and Artillery, as well as Nigerian Defence Academy.

Buratai said “exercise WAZOBIA Kungama” is a training for Nigerian Army School of Infantry, as well as the Depot, where they put their students together on what they were taught indoors.”

He said since his appointment as chief of army staff in 2015, the army had been purposeful in its training schedules.

“We have been seeing areas that have challenges and we bring troops to have a feel in real terms where they will be operating once they graduate and this terrain, vegetation and environment – Falgore forest is a very good training ground,” he said.

The forest extends its boundary line between Kano, Kaduna and Bauchi states. It covers an area of about 1000 square kilometers.