The Nigerian Army 20 Battalion in Serti, Taraba State, is being upgraded to a special unit for military regimentation and training, the Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Tukur Buratai, announced Friday.
Buratai on a visit to the headquarters of the battalion in Gashaka Local Government Area of the state told reporters that heightened security situation along the Nigeria-Cameroon border and the imperative of entrenching professionalism in the army necessitated the upgrade.
The Army headquarters will provide the required logistics and post more officers and soldiers to improve the status of the unit, he said.
He described the unit and its location as unique, adding: “so we will make efforts to ensure that this status is maintained.
“We are making it a model battalion where we have full compliments of a unit at all times that will be well drilled in regimentation.”
“Henceforth, young officers that pass out from the Defence Academy will be moved to this unit for regimentation training,” he said.
Buratai said the Army was leveraging on the near perfect terrain in Serti, which, according to him, is conducive for training and the building of the soldiers’ regimentation.
On his part, the Emir of Gashaka, Alhaji Mohammed Sambo, commended the effort of the military in securing the community.
He said that the people of the community and soldiers at the 20 Battalion barracks enjoyed cordial relationship.
Sambo assured the Army chief of more cooperation and support of the community.
