The Special Boat Services (SBS) of the Navy at the weekend certified 45 Defence Headquarters’ (DHQ) Special Forces fit for extreme counter-insurgency operations.
The personnel were trained on tactical air, land and water combats, fast rope insertion/extraction techniques that would allow them multi-task when deployed in theatres of operations.
Of the 49 personnel enrolled for the training, three were disqualified for their inability to withstand the rigours and high mental alertness.
According to the Flag Officer Commanding (FOC) Naval Training Command (NAVTRAC), Rear Admiral Ifeola Mohammed, the Special Forces are a very important unit of the military because they are deployed to clear the ground for regular troops.
Rear Admiral Mohammed, who was represented by Commodore Samuel Kure, said each officer will execute tasks meant for 10 regular forces in the theatre of operation.
He said: “These ones are specialised section of the military. They are inserted to carry out a particular task to make a place conducive for the regular forces to move in. Sometimes, they come in to remove someone from the theatre of operation.
“The special forces are not part of the regular forces. By the nature of their work, they are only called upon anytime there is an operation and once they render their services, they are pulled out.”
SBS Commander, Commodore Rick Michaels said the insertion and extraction system was established to ensure access into inaccessible terrains.
“The Special Forces unit is a team of small and highly trained military personnel meant for special operations, conducted in denied, hostile and politically-sensitive environments.
“In the selection process, we task and push every individual to the limit of their mental and physical tenacity. The moment anyone breaks, we take him out. We don’t compromise. It is either you are with us or not.
“Apart from the fact that it is a very sharp and leading edge training, we need trainees to be able to catch up fast because the special force has wider latitude of skill than the regular forces.
“That is why we deploy them in small numbers where one person can do the work of many soldiers. They are supposed to be fast thinkers and very smart. It is a very dangerous training. One small mistake can cause a person his limb or even death.
“As managers of violence, our job is to take risks. It doesn’t mean that those disqualified are not fit for military jobs; they are fit for their regular jobs and not for the Special Forces, where boys are trained to be men and men turned into flaming warriors ready to go on the tide.
Acting Commander, NN Airbase, Captain Mustapha Braimah, expressed satisfaction at the demonstration of the graduands, saying he was hopeful they would contain insurgency and armed conflicts.
Captain Braimah explained that the integration of the NN Air Arm with the SBS was to prepare the Special Forces and build their capacity to meet with every challenge.
