By Augustine Ehikioya
To ensure total victory against terrorism and other criminality in the country, the Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lieutenant General Waidi Shaibu, has charged troops and commanders in the Nigerian Army to redouble their efforts.
Besides commending them for the succeses recorded so far, he urged them to continue to be professional in carrying out their assignment.
The Army Chief spoke at the opening ceremony of the first Bi-Annual COAS Conference 2026 in Abuja. Security Watch Africa (SWA) was there.
He called for more collaboration with other security agencies and partners.
“The Nigerian Army must continue to evolve complex-specific strategies to strengthen its operational posture and fully leverage intelligence tracing operations to dismantle insurgents and criminal strongholds,” he said.
The COAS took the gathering through the challenges on the basis of geopolitical zones of the country.
He said “Nigeria’s security environment remains volatile, dynamic, and increasingly complex, shaped by a convergence of asymmetric threats and criminality across various regions in the North East, Boko Haram and Islamic State for West African Province (ISWAP) elements have continued to challenge stability through sporadic attacks on military targets and the use of improvised explosive devices and incursions against civilian populations.
“These threats have necessitated our robust response in the form of sustained intelligence driven and people-centric operations.
“Similarly, the North West and parts of the North Central remain afflicted by banditry, kidnapping and communal violence marked by coordinated raids on rural communities, mass abductions along key corridors, and persistent attacks that undermine local governance, stability, and economic activity.
“Meanwhile, the South East face ongoing security challenges linked to secessionists violence and organised criminality, while the South-South contends with crude oil theft, infrastructure vandalism, and acts of economic sabotage.
“Furthermore, the South West continue to experience isolated incidents of violent crime and unrest,”
He pointed out that the situation has reinforced the imperative for a highly professional, agile, and responsive Nigerian Army, firmly aligned with national strategic objectives.
In response to the challenges, he said that the Nigerian Army has maintained an enhanced operational posture through continuous troop deployments, reconfiguration of commissions, and the establishment of additional joint task forces, formations and units in critical locations.
He urged the commanders to actively engage with their troops, and ensure they remain motivated, prepared, and ready to achieve favourable operational outcomes.
“We must embody decisive action and set good examples that inspire the service. Hence, you must lead with determination, resilience, empathy, and unyielding commitment to achieving mission objectives.
“Let me begin by commending officers and soldiers of the Nigerian Army for their courage, resilience, and steadfast commitment in the face of persistent and often asymmetric security threats across various theatres of operation.
“Our troops have continued to demonstrate professionalism, despite confronting determined adversaries employing adaptive operational methods, while we have recorded significant operational success, the Nigerian Army has also suffered some setbacks.”
To this end, he honoured the memory of gallant personnel who paid the supreme price in the defence of the nation.
“We owe them an enduring obligation to honour their sacrifices by redoubling our resolve and intensifying collective efforts to decisively defeat all adversaries,” the COAS said.
The COAS pointed out that the introduction of the Nigerian Army Aviation assets to ongoing operations has been one of the major enablers of the Army’s recent operational successes.
“For the first time in the North East operation, the Nigerian Army Aviation Asset successfully enabled the insertion and extraction of troops within the Timbutu Triangle.
“This achievement represents a major operational milestone in our efforts to dominate previously inaccessible areas, disrupt terrorist freedom of action, and project contract power with greater speed and precision.
“It also demonstrates our deliberate transition towards a more technologically enabled high mobile operations in response to the prevailing threats.”
On collaboration, he said “Equally important is the need to deepen joint and interagency collaborations, while integrating technology, innovation, and real-time intelligence into our operations.
“We must remain proactive and adaptive, recognising that today’s threat demands flexible strategies, sound judgment, and decisive command at all levels. In a bid to guide the direction of the Nigerian Army under my stewardship, I articulated the command philosophy, which seeks to advance the transformation of the Nigerian Army.
“No nation can successfully confront the evolving nature of terrorism, insurgency, and transnational crimes in isolation.”
Speaking specifically on the recent collaboration with the United States of America, he said that the outcome represents a major milestone in the collective counterterrorism efforts.
“This achievement clearly demonstrates the growing effectiveness of intelligence sharing, precision targeting, and the collaboration with strategic partners committed to regional and global security.
“This success extends beyond immediate operational outcomes, but serves as a strong indication that sustained cooperation with trusted partners will continue to enhance the effectiveness of operations across the diverse theatres where our troops are currently deployed.
“I therefore charge commanders at all levels to continue to foster interagency cooperation and strategic partnerships, while remaining adaptive and mission-focused in the conduct of operations. It is also important to leverage every available collaborative mechanism to deny criminals and terrorist elements of freedom of action,” he stated.
He expressed appreciation to President Bola Tinubu for his sustained strategic direction and unwavering support to the Nigerian Army.
According to him, the conference is a critical decision making forum for extensive interaction with Principal Staff Officers, Commanders and Heads of Nigerian Army Establishments and Institutions.
He said that it also provides a platform to review Army’s activities in the first half of the year and articulate a clear strategic direction for the rest of the year.
“It equally provides a unique medium to assess our preparedness, interrogate emergency security trends and collectively proffer practical solutions to enhance the effectiveness of our operations nationwide,” he added.
