The Nigerian Army has deployed 185 officers and soldiers to Guinea Bissau on a peacekeeping mission.
The Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Tukur Buratai, announced this at an event on Friday in Kaduna State.
Buratai was represented by Major General Kelvin Aligbe at the passing out ceremony of the troops from the Martin Luther Agwai Peacekeeping Centre in Jaji.
This comes ahead of their departure to Bissau, the Guinea Bissau capital as they are expected to depart Nigeria immediately after their induction.
Aligbe warned the troops that the Nigerian Army would not tolerate any act of cowardice or professional misconduct during the operation in the West African country.
He advised the contingent to abide by the rules of engagement, exhibit braveness as professionals, and to also respect the cultural sensitivity of the people of Guinea Bissau.
The army chief’s representative reminded the soldiers of the United Nations’ zero tolerance for drug trafficking and human rights abuse.
He asked them to avoid indecent characters capable of tarnishing the image of the Nigerian Army and the nation in general.
The Commandant of the Martin Luther Agwai Peacekeeping Centre, Major General James Ataguba, also spoke at the event.
According to him, the training is in line with the Nigerian Army Headquarters’ desire to ensure that troops receive the needed robust and theatre-specific pre-deployment training prior to their induction into peacekeeping missions.
Ataguba was confident that the high level of enthusiasm and cohesion exhibited by the soldiers and officers would reflect on their operational conduct abroad.
He disclosed that the troops were deployed following a 4-week special training in preparation for their induction into the United Nations Peacekeeping Mission in Guinea Bissau.
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