The Defence Headquarters (DHQ) says it will conduct a Joint Operations Planning Exercise (JOPEX) for the participants of war colleges.

The Acting Director, Defence Media Operations, Brig.-Gen. Bernard Onyeuko, said this in a statement on Thursday in Abuja.

The war colleges include Army War College Nigeria (AWCN), Naval War College Nigeria (NWCN) and Air Force War College Nigeria (AWCN) in Abuja.

Mr Onyeuko said the exercise nicknamed ‘Exercise Sky Lock’ was the maiden edition to be organised by DHQ for the three services war colleges at the instance of the Chief of Defence Staff, Gen. Lucky Irabor.

He said the exercise was scheduled to take place from November 1 to 7 on the premises of AWCN located at WU Bassey Barracks, Asokoro, Abuja.

Mr Onyeuko added that the key objective of the training was to enable participants to effectively respond to contemporary security challenges bedevilling Nigeria using a joint and multi-agency approach.

He further mentioned that the exercise would involve the aspects of national security, interagency coordination, logistics planning, counter-terrorism and counter-insurgency and stabilisation operations.

According to him, it will also provide a forum for the participants trained as operational commanders and staff to practise planning, preparation and conduct of these aspects under different scenarios.

“The one-week exercise will draw umpires, observers and visitors from the armed forces of Nigeria, paramilitary and international military assistance partners, among others,” he said.

(NAN)