Security. Cameroon Defence Forces Recruits Elite Commandos
With the growing rate of terrorism and other related threats, the head of state and commander in chief of the armed forces thought it wise to curb the situation by a launching the recruitment of 2600 elite commandos.
Emmanuel NGOTA
The recruitment of 2600 commandos for the Presidential Guard (GP) and the Rapid Intervention Battalion (BIR) is ongoing. The recruitment officially kicked started in the 7th Joint Military Sector in Ebolowa where over 2051 candidates deposited their recruitment files voluntarily.
After the preliminary medical check 1276 were declared fit for the 20km race with a sand bag weighing 20kg. At the end of the race which is the direct elimination stage 600 candidates succeeded in grapping a t-shirt. The first in Ebolowa was Zoogo Bingono Alex and his jersey number one was personally handed to him by the governor of the South Region, Bernard Wongolo who presided over the ceremony. Ngaamougou Ella Valdel was first from the bottom with jersey number 600 which happens to be the last jersey. They both are still in the race as the other activities like the 10 km race without load, the test bar all consisting of pushups, sit ups, squats and rope climbing as well as the psych-technical intellectual test are also very important determinant factors not leaving out the in-depth medical test as nobody is certain for now for it is only at the end that the chaffs will be separated from the grain.
After Ebolowa the next stop of the recruitment commission was in Yaounde where the number of candidates doubled to 4300 as oppose to Ebolowa. But after the preliminary medical only 2601 candidates were declared fit to compete for the 850 jerseys that was made available for the Centre Region due to its affluence. The ceremony was presided over by the Minister Delegate at the Presidency in charge of Defence, Beti Assomo Joseph who handed jersey number 1 to Etoundi Paul Destin while the governor did same for Nomo Mama Arnauld the second in the race. The rest of the exercises are still ongoing at the sports complex of the Presidential Guard.
The Rapid Intervention Battalion is an elite military force and an army combat unit of the Cameroonian defence Forces. The unit has played a large part in the Cameroonian and regional war against Boko Haram. The BIR was created in 2001 in Cameroon’s struggle against armed groups and gangs on its borders. In 2016, the BIR participated in the US- and AFRICOM- sponsored Exercise Obangame and Saharan Express war games, meant to increase regional military cooperation between central African nations and the United States.
While the presidential guard on her part has as mission to guard the president, his family likewise his visitors. It also protects strategic sites and institution of the country. To this effect many term the presidential guard as the watch dog of the temple (unity palace)
