US embassy cable - 04ABUJA1997

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