Group hails DHQ over training for veterans

By Tobias Lengnan Dapam

The group known as North-East Peoples Forum has commended the Defence Headquarters (DHQ) for the recent 3-day skill acquisition training for retired military veterans.
The training took place in Gombe from from 23 – 25 June.
The training was necessitated by the directives of the Chief of Defence Staff, that veterans be trained in various skills to enable them engage in productive ventures rather than being tempted to avail their military skills to underserving elements.
The exercise was in collaboration with the Nigerian Export Promotion Council and the Small and Medium Development Agency.
Meanwhile, the North-East group in a statement issued at the weekend commended the DHQ for the initiative.
The group said stopping the North-East crisis should be a collaborative effort.
The press release signed by the group’s President, Waziri Gombe said “We appreciate the Defence Headquarters for this training. Definitely, it will reduce the lure for criminality by the veterans, because an idle mind is the devil’s workshop.
“The effort by the DHQ comes at a time ISWAP/Boko Haram are desperately luring our people into becoming fighters.
“We therefore urge the Governor’s of the North-East states to partner with the DHQ in this laudable initiative.
“Once more we appeal to our North-East people to continue to support the Armed Forces of Nigeria to ensure insurgency is brought to an end,” the group added.