VISIT TO NIGERIAN COMMAND AND STAFF COLLEGE AND

C O N F I D E N T I A L ABUJA 001997

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/30/2014
TAGS: PREL MARR PHUM KPKO NI POLMIL
SUBJECT: VISIT TO NIGERIAN COMMAND AND STAFF COLLEGE AND
INFANTRY SCHOOL PEACEKEEPING WING

Classified by Ambassador John Campbell for Reason 1.4 (D).


1. (U) Summary. The USG-funded JCATS simulation center at
the Nigerian Command Staff and College is actively training
Nigerian brigade and battalion command elements, and has
recently included police units in joint internal security
simulations. Funding and personnel shortfalls from the GON
limit operations to 60 percent of capacity. The co-located
Infantry Corps Center and School (ICCS) has founded a
Peacekeeping Wing with the aim of providing collective
tactical training and peacekeeping doctrine for the Nigerian
military. The Airborne Wing of the ICCS recently upgraded
their parachutes to MC1-1Bs and is using Dornier Do-228s as
their airborne platform. End Summary.


2. (U) On November 29, 2004, the Ambassador, Defense
Attache, ODC Chief and PolMilOff visited the Nigerian Command
and Staff College and the Infantry Corps Center and School in
Jaji. The Ambassador was briefed on the status of
American-funded JCATS Simulation Center, and the Peacekeeping
and Airborne Wings of the Infantry School.


3. (U) Rear Admiral Izilein, Deputy Commandant of the
Command and Staff College, spoke about the College and the
Simulation Center. He said that the College has a staff
strength of 1250 and a student population of 458. The
College conducts a senior course for officers in the rank of
Major/Lt Commander, a junior course for officers in the rank
of Captain/Lieutenant (73 officers graduated Friday, November
26),and a duty officer course for NCOs. Foreign military
enrollment includes, among others, South Korea, South Africa,
Rwanda, Sierra Leone, Chad, Mali, Morocco, Botswana, and
Niger.


4. (U) Brigadier General EE Eyo, the Director of the
Simulation Center, said the three largest constraints
limiting their ability to expand training are a lack of
funding, a shortage of trained manpower, and the absence of a
staff development program. Despite these limitations, the
Simulation Center has expanded its operations to include
internal security simulation exercises for police units from
Kaduna, Jos, and Kano and has recommended to Defense HQ that
all units go through a simulation exercise prior to deploying
on peace support operations (PSOs).


5. (C) MPRI, the U.S. contractor supporting the Simulation
Center, concurred with the constraints described by Eyo and
estimated that the simulation center is operating at 60
percent capacity. The lack of funding limits the ability of
students to attend training as travel, lodging, and
subsistence can not be funded. MPRI also said that most of
the cadre of the Simulation Center are routinely paid 1-2
months late, with occasional delays of 3 months or greater.


6. (U) Major General OM Appah, the Commandant of the
Infantry Corps Center and School (ICCS),and Brigadier
General SP Guar, his deputy, provided a briefing on the
newly-opened Peacekeeping Wing. Initial course offerings
include Basic Training Techniques and a Junior Leaders
Train-the-Trainer Course, with a goal of providing a Military
Observer (MilOb) course and a UN Logistic Officer Course in

2005. The focus of the school is on the development of
tactical skills and the formulation of PSO doctrine based on
lessons learned (Note: MG Appah specifically pointed to
doctrine formation as an area where U.S. assistance would be
welcome. End Note.) A UK Short-Term Training Team (one
officer and one NCO) was actively assisting with training of
the current 45 students. The goal of the center is to
provide training to 4000 students per year, to include
battalion-level unit training.


6. (U) At the Airborne Wing, MG Appah described the three
courses taught (basic airborne, advanced airborne jumpmaster,
and parachute rigger) and the equipment used by Nigerian
paratroopers. There has been a recent shift from T-10
parachutes to the MC1-1B. PolMilOff observed 336 unopened
boxes of main personnel parachutes, and a large quantity of
unopened reserve parachutes, all labeled as manufactured in
South Korea. Staff at the school identified the Dornier
Do-228 as their primary aircraft for airborne operations due
to the nonavailability of functional C-130s or G-222s.
CAMPBELL