A group, the North-East Peoples Forum has described the 3-day skill acquisition training for retired military veterans organized by the Defence Headquarters (DHQ) as is a step in the right direction.

The group said the training which held in Gombe from 23 – 25 June at the instance of the Chief of Defence Staff will enable the veterans to engage in productive ventures rather than being tempted to avail their military skills to underserving elements.
The group in a statement signed by its President Waziri Gombe on Saturday, said stopping the North-East crisis requires such collaborative effort.

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The exercise which was hitch-free was conducted in collaboration with the Nigerian Export Promotion Council and the Small and Medium Development Agency.

The statement 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.

Vanguard News Nigeria