The Armed Forces Command and Staff College Jaji witnessed a significant event as the Comptroller-General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, inaugurated the 2024 Edition of Exercise ‘Haske Biyu’ as the Special Guest of Honour.

The opening ceremony, held on Monday, March 11, 2024, marked the commencement of the training exercise focused on Internal Security and Low-Intensity Conflict operations in Nigeria.

Expressing his gratitude to the Commandant of the College for the invitation, the Comptroller-General underscored the importance of joint collaboration among law enforcement agencies in tackling security challenges. He emphasized, “The importance of joint and multi-agency collaboration in internal security and low-intensity conflict operations amongst law enforcement agencies and the military cannot be over-emphasized.”

Highlighting the objectives of Exercise ‘Haske Biyu,’ CGC Adeniyi stated, “The objective of Exercise ‘Haske Biyu’ is to broaden your individual and collective knowledge and understanding of military operations other than war with emphasis on internal security and counter-insurgency operations.”

He drew attention to the launch of the ‘Securite Par Collaboracion’ project in 2016 as a response to heightened insurgency in the Northwest region, emphasizing the significance of such exercises in fostering collaboration and knowledge-sharing among stakeholders.

Addressing the impact of current security trends on Customs operations, the Comptroller-General remarked, “The impact of the current security trends has also been felt on Customs, especially as the gatekeepers of the Nation.” He urged participants to consider the use of soft power as an effective tool for conflict resolution and management.

Furthermore, CGC Adeniyi emphasized the broader significance of initiatives like Exercise ‘Haske Biyu’ in promoting inter-agency relationships to strengthen national security. He urged participants to maintain security consciousness and assured them of support in reporting any observed security issues.

In his remarks, the Commandant of the Armed Forces Command and Staff College Jaji, Air Vice Marshal Hassan Idris Alhaji, commended the synergy between the Nigeria Customs Service and the military. He emphasized the importance of collaboration in addressing common security challenges in Nigeria.

The commandant urged participants to take maximum advantage of the exercise to build their capacity and provide practical solutions to problems associated with internal security.

Exercise ‘Haske Biyu’ 2024 is expected to facilitate knowledge-sharing, collaboration, and the development of strategic frameworks aimed at enhancing Nigeria’s internal security and counter-insurgency capabilities.