‘Our Priority is to enhance troops’ capacity to defeat threat’ – COAS

The Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lieut:-Gen Olufemi Oluyede has said that the priorities of the Nigerian Army were to enhance the capacity of troops so as to neutralise extant threats to national security.

He stated this in Bauchi on Monday during the opening ceremony of the 2025 Combat Arms Training Week, co-hosted by the Nigerian Army Infantry and Armoured Corps.

According to him, the Nigerian Army would also continue to improve strategic communication, bridge gaps in the force’s assessment, sustain innovative leadership and harness the support of the Nigerian Navy, the Nigerian Air Force and other security agencies.

“As we project into the future with optimism, our key priorities will be to enhance the capacity of our troops.

“This would be done by infusing the necessary capabilities into our training schedules to better prepare troops to adapt to fluid situations and place us in a more favourable position to neutralise extant threats to our national security.

“However, this can only be achieved by ensuring that troops are provided with timely logistics and adequate welfare.

“We’ll not relegate the importance of the support from stakeholders in the various geopolitical zones, or the importance of ministries, departments and agencies at the Federal and State levels of government,” he said.

The COAS reiterated that the Nigerian Army would continue to effectively mitigate the security challenges that tried to threaten the resolve or the peace and unity of Nigeria.

He affirmed that the force would continue to adopt new methods in line with international best practices to enhance and sustain its capabilities as its project into the future while discharging their constitutional roles.

Oluyede explained that the training week was more than just a theoretical or doctrinal exercise but a forum to enhance the operational effectiveness of troops across all theatres, especially those in the North East and North West Zones.

“The lessons learned in the field and inter-corps collaborations which this training week provides will directly translate into more coordinated, and impactful outcomes in the field,” he said.

Also speaking, the Commander, Armoured Corps, Maj:-Gen Obinna Ajunwa, said that the theme of the training is strengthening Combat Arms cooperation in a joint environment: A prerequisite for success in counter terrorism and counter insurgency operations.

According to him, the week-long event served as a forum for discussing pertinent issues affecting combat arms operations and other issues affecting the Nigerian Army at large.

On his part, Gov. Bala Mohammed of Bauchi state, said the current security challenges facing the country ranging from terrorism, banditry, insurgency to communal unrest, needed a blend of kinetic and non-kinetic approaches as well as multi-dimensional strategies.

Represented by his deputy, Mohammed acknowledged that the Nigerian Army, in response to tackling the security challenges, had deployed troops across nearly every state of the federation in aid of civil authorities.

Highlight of the event was the inauguration of the 211 DB Barracks, Comprehensive Service Centre as well as the inspection of refurbished tank transporters and tree planting exercise