No fewer than 718 personnel of the Nigerian Armed Forces, drawn from the Army, Navy and Air Force, have indicated interest in disengaging from active military service and have commenced a six-month transition programme at the Nigerian Armed Forces Resettlement Centre (NAFRC).
The personnel, comprising corporals, sergeants, warrant officers and master warrant officers, were inducted into Course 1/2026 of the Centre, a programme designed to prepare retiring service members for life after military service through entrepreneurship and vocational training.
At the induction, the Commandant of NAFRC, Air Vice Marshal Nnaemeka Ilo, urged participants that civilian life is different from the regimented military environment, hence the need to adjust their mindset, manage expectations and prioritise family welfare.
He described the Resettlement Centre as “a citadel of courage and hope,” established to prepare retiring personnel for meaningful and productive civilian life.
According to him, feedback from previous graduates showed that many alumni of the Centre had become successful entrepreneurs across various sectors of the economy.
Earlier, the Director of Training, NAFRC,
Brigadier General Isang Akpaumontia, announced that out of the total number nominated, 718 participants were seated on parade, having been received, documented, accommodated and medically screened.
He said about 85 participants were declared medically unfit for the course, while 15 others were yet to report, stressing that those medically unfit had been returned to their units to continue treatment closer to their families.
He noted that the Centre would maintain
contact with the affected personnel to enable them complete documentation and biometric capture for future graduation.
The participants were urged to maximise the opportunities offered by the programme and uphold high standards of discipline, character and learning throughout the training period.
Reporting By Mary Fatile