Emerging Security Challenges: Army Moves to Enhance Capacity of Officers

Onuminya Innocent in Sokoto

In view of emerging security challenges in the country, the Nigerian Army has organised a seminar to enhance the capacity of its officers to confront the challenges.

Declaring the seminar with the theme: ‘Capacity Development of Nigerian Army Personnel to Meet Contemporary Security Challenges in a Joint Environment’, open, the Chief of Army Staff (COAS) Major-General Taoreed Lagbaja, said the Nigerian army is committed to training and retraining of its officers to enable them meet the country’s security challenges.

Represented by Maj-General Aligbe Kelvin, Lagbaja said it is imperative to produce well-trained officers that will effectively confront the prevailing security challenges in the country.

COAS further explained that the seminar was in line with his vision of having “a professional army ready to accomplish the assigned mission within a joint environment in the defence of Nigeria.

“I have a vision to transform the Nigerian army into a well-trained, equipped and highly motivated force.”

According to him, “The myriad of security challenges the country is facing requires officers and leaders to be equipped with the requisite knowledge to tackle the situation.

“Therefore, the Nigerian army will continue to organise series of training and seminars to ensure we build professional personnel and leaders at all levels.”

He further stated that the seminar was intended to avail participants of the necessary capabilities and competencies required to successfully accomplish assigned missions, as it relates to emerging security threats.

The army chief added that “the topics and resource persons have been carefully selected and designed to reflect current realities on the ground as well as to enable participants to derive maximum benefits from the seminar.

“Accordingly, the seminar has been deliberately tailored to focus on leadership at command levels, intelligence gathering, military decision-making process, logistics planning, legal implications, and human rights issues among others.

“As we continue to implement the Nigerian Army Forecast of Events and Training Directive for 2023, I implore you to seize the opportunity of this seminar to improve on your knowledge of leadership.”

Lagbaja expressed optimism that by the end of the seminar, the set objectives would have been met to enable them to discharge their constitutional roles professionally, adding that “the dynamic and ever-changing security situation in the country requires that the Nigerian army equip leaders at all levels with the requisite capabilities to face these challenges, especially in a complex environment.

“I, therefore, urge you all to apply yourselves to all that will be taught by tapping from the wealth of knowledge and experiences of the resource persons.”

In his welcome address the General Officer Commanding 8 Division, Sokoto, Maj Gen Godwin Michael Mutkut, thanked the COAS for giving the hosting right to 8 Division.

He also appreciated the Chief of Army Staff for providing resources and funds for the seminar, saying the gesture would go a long way in equipping the officers across board.

The representative of the COAS later inaugurated the official residence of the General Officer Commanding 8 Division, Sokoto, and Command quarters before the commencement of seminar lectures.