AWC Security Desk
The Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lieutenant General Waidi Shaibu, has issued a strong directive to Divisional Training Officers (DTOs) of the Nigerian Army to ensure that all training activities are realistic, progressive, and mission-driven, stressing that effective training is the foundation of battlefield success.
Lieutenant General Shaibu gave the charge on Monday, 20 January 2026, at the opening ceremony of the Division Training Officers Training Week held at the 3 Division Auditorium, Maxwell Khobe Cantonment, Jos.
Addressing senior training officers from across formations, the COAS declared that “we must train as we intend to fight,” noting that the complexity of Nigeria’s current and emerging security threats demands an Army that is adaptive, resilient, and fully prepared for real-world combat scenarios. He warned that poorly designed or outdated training undermines operational effectiveness and places troops at unnecessary risk.
The week-long programme, themed “Enhancing Operational Readiness: Adaptive Training Strategies for Evolving Threats,” is designed to review existing training methodologies, promote experience-sharing, and develop innovative approaches to strengthening divisional training schools nationwide.
Lieutenant General Shaibu emphasized that leadership performance on the battlefield is inseparable from the quality of training enforced at the divisional level, charging DTOs to translate doctrine into practical, scenario-based exercises that reflect modern warfare realities. He stressed that realistic simulations, continuous assessment, and adaptive strategies are essential to producing combat-ready troops capable of succeeding in joint and multi-domain operations.
The COAS also underscored the responsibility of training officers to uphold professionalism, discipline, and standards, noting that the effectiveness of the Nigerian Army in operations across the country ultimately rests on the rigor of its training institutions.
Participants at the training week are expected to develop actionable frameworks that will enhance operational readiness, improve instructional capacity, and align divisional training outputs with the Nigerian Army’s evolving operational requirements.
