The Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lieutenant General Waidi Shaibu, has charged graduating soldiers of Exercise RESTORE HOPE X to uphold the highest standards of professionalism, discipline, and operational excellence as they deploy to the Nigerian Army’s newly established divisions, formations, and units.
General Shaibu gave the charge during the graduation ceremony of the Advanced Infantry Training Programme at the Nigerian Army Training Centre (NATC) in Kachia, Kaduna State. He described the exercise as the flagship of the Army’s post-basic infantry framework, designed to sharpen combat proficiency and prepare troops for modern military operations.
According to the COAS, the graduation comes during a major force expansion following approval from President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to restructure the Nigerian Army. The restructuring includes the creation of new divisions and units aimed at optimizing force disposition and improving response times to evolving security threats nationwide.
Addressing the graduands, General Shaibu stated that the newly trained soldiers would form the core of these new operational units. He urged them to justify the military’s investment by demonstrating sound judgment, mental agility, and strict compliance with the rules of engagement and human rights standards.
“Sustained investment in realistic, mission-oriented training remains fundamental to building a highly skilled fighting force capable of achieving decisive operational success across all theatres,” the Army Chief said, expressing appreciation to President Tinubu for supporting the military’s capacity-building initiatives.
Speaking earlier, the Chief of Training (Army), Major General Valentine Okoro, highlighted that the rigorous curriculum exposed trainees to counter-insurgency operations, tactical marksmanship, field craft, and battlefield endurance. He noted that the program continues to standardize post-basic infantry training across the Nigerian Army’s training institutions.
