The Armed Forces of Nigeria (AFN) has trained 62 Medical Military Contingent (NIMED) 8 Level II personnel for deployment to Mali for a peacekeeping mission.
The medical staff were trained at the Martin Luther Agwai International Leadership and Peace Keeping Centre (MLAILPKC), Jaji Military Cantonment, Kaduna.
Maj.-Gen. Abdulsalam Ibrahim, Chief Training Officer, who addressed the graduates on Friday at the Centre, stated that the troops were qualified to serve in the United Nations Multi-Dimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali (MINUSMA).
According to Ibrahim, who was represented by Brig-Gen Hassan Dada, the graduation was in line with the AFN’s commitment to deploying quality peacekeepers as part of its contributions to the quest for global peace and security.
He stated that the pre-deployment training was intended to provide troops with the necessary knowledge and expertise to function in a peacekeeping mission.
“It also equips them with the skills necessary to protect themselves, UN equipment, and loyal citizens of the host nation within their area of responsibility while carrying out the mission’s mandate.”
“More specifically, the training was designed to ensure that they were adequately prepared to deploy effectively in order to provide the specialist medical support that the mission required,” he explained.
Mali, a West African country, has faced serious political, security, social, economic, humanitarian, and human rights challenges, according to Ibrahim, since a coalition of Taureqs and other terrorist groups attacked and captured some territories in January 2012.
“This situation resulted in the deployment of AU and French forces, which later evolved into the UN MINUSMA, with a Security Council mandate that included civilian protection.”
He urged the troops to maintain high standards when they were inducted into the mission and warned them to avoid ugly incidents that could tarnish the AFN’s and the nation’s professional image in general.
He warned them not to deviate from the mission’s Rules of Engagement and tasked them with respecting the host nation’s cultural and religious sensitivity.
“You must not be involved in the trafficking of any illicit substance, and please keep in mind that the UN has a zero tolerance policy for sexual exploitation and abuse.”
“The AFN, like the Nigerian government, will not tolerate violations of this policy,” he said.
Earlier, Maj.-Gen. Auwal Fagge, Commandant of the Centre, stated that the troops were prepared for multidimensional challenges in today’s dynamic and complex peace-keeping environment.
According to Fagge, the troops went through four phases of training, which included weapon training, core pre-deployment training, casualty evacuation, medical supply management, and humanitarian services, among other things.
Fagge charged the troops with continuing to work hard to improve on the skills they had learned in order to project a positive image of the Nigerian Armed Forces.
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