Lucky Obukohwo, Reporting
The Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lieutenant General Waidi Shaibu, has appealed to commanders of various army operations across the country to continually review and adapt new strategies to counter emerging and evolving security threats confronting the country.
Shaibu has also charged commanders to remain flexible and adaptive in tackling threats posed by terrorists, bandits and other criminal elements, as contemporary military operations can no longer rely on conventional approaches owing to the evolving tactics employed by adversaries.
The COAS, who gave the charge at the opening of the Chief of Army Staff First Bi-Annual Conference 2026, held in Abuja, equally assured Nigerians that the Army would continue to work closely with other security agencies to ensure the protection of the lives and property of law-abiding citizens.
The Army chief, while noting that the current security environment has become increasingly complex and dynamic, called for proactive leadership, innovation and enhanced operational capabilities.
Shaibu, who lauded officers and soldiers for their courage, resilience and determination to keep Nigeria one, said: “The evolving security environment demands that we continuously review and improve our operational strategies to remain ahead of those threatening the peace and stability of our country.”
His words, “We must remain proactive, resilient and innovative in addressing these security challenges.”
The COAS, who said the conference was strategically designed to assess operational realities across various theatres of operation and develop practical responses to emerging threats, urged the participants to critically evaluate existing operational methods and identify areas requiring strategic adjustments.
While underscoring the importance of enhanced collaboration within the joint and multi-agency environment to improve operational effectiveness, Shaibu said that no single security agency could independently address Nigeria’s security challenges without effective synergy and intelligence sharing.
Highlighting the importance of realistic and mission-oriented training programmes in improving troop preparedness and operational efficiency, Gen. Shaibu said the Army under his leadership has continued to focus on troop training, logistics support and operational capability development to strengthen the force.
He said the Nigerian Army remained focused on building a combat-ready force capable of responding decisively to contemporary security threats, just as he noted that discipline and strict adherence to rules of engagement were essential to sustaining operational credibility and strengthening public trust.
He also noted that improved professionalism among troops had positively impacted civil-military relations and enhanced the Army’s reputation both nationally and internationally, and urged officers and soldiers to uphold the core values of discipline, loyalty, courage and selfless service in all operational engagements.
