Chief of Defence Staff, Rear Adm. Ola Ibrahim, on Friday urged trainees of the Soldiers' Wive's Skills Acquisition programme to make judicious use of the loans granted them.

He gave the charge at the graduation of the 391 participants of the Chief of Defence Staff Soldiers' Wives Skills programme in Birnin Kebbi.

Represented by Col. Muhammed Augie, Ibrahim called on the trainees to embrace self-employment by utilising their training to improve their living standards.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the training was conducted at the 1 Battalion of the Nigerian Army, Dukku Barracks in Birnin Kebbi.

The Commanding officer of the 1 Battalion, Col. Nsikak Mende, commended the trainees for their discipline, adding that others who did not benefit would be trained in subsequent programmes.

Alhaji Musa Dan'Illelah, the Chairman of Birnin Kebbi Local Government Council, commended the organisers of the scheme that enabled people from his area to be trained for self- employment.

The Chief Consultant to the programme, Mr Ken Ahukannah, said there was increase in the number of those trained in Dukku Barracks from 350 to 391.

He said that 18,000 soldiers' wives were trained in the programme nationwide, adding, "modalities were being worked out to enable those trained to obtain loans from financial institutions".

Some of the beneficiaries described the training as having major impacts to their lives, considering the benefits to be derived.

NAN