To Tackle Insecurity, Military Establishes Additional Units to Enhance Fighting Capabilities

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The Nigerian Army has expanded its combat capability with the establishment of new divisions, formations and units aimed at improving operational responsiveness to the country’s evolving security challenges.

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The Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Waidi Shaibu, disclosed this on Friday during the graduation ceremony of soldiers who completed the Advanced Infantry Training Programme, codenamed **Exercise RESTORE HOPE X**, at the Nigerian Army Training Centre, Kachia, Kaduna State.

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Shaibu said the expansion followed the approval of President Bola Tinubu, Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, as part of the ongoing restructuring of the Nigerian Army to strengthen its operational effectiveness.

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He noted that many of the graduating soldiers would form the nucleus of the newly established formations and units.

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“Following the approval of the President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, His Excellency Bola Ahmed Tinubu, for the restructuring of the Nigerian Army, additional divisions, formations and units have been established to optimise force disposition and improve operational responsiveness to the nation’s evolving security threats,” he said.

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“Many of the graduating soldiers will constitute the nucleus of these new formations and are expected to translate their training into operational effectiveness.”

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The Army Chief charged the soldiers to uphold professionalism, discipline and operational excellence as they take up their new responsibilities.

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“Remain physically fit, mentally agile and technologically proficient. Continually adapt to emerging threats, embrace innovation and uphold the highest standards of discipline, respect for the rule of law, protection of human rights and strict compliance with the rules of engagement throughout your careers,” Shaibu said.

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Describing Exercise RESTORE HOPE X as the flagship of the Nigerian Army’s post-basic infantry training framework, he said the programme was designed to sharpen combat proficiency, strengthen the warrior ethos and prepare soldiers for the realities of contemporary military operations.

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Shaibu also commended President Tinubu for his continued support for the Nigerian Army’s operational, training and administrative requirements.

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“The President’s strategic guidance and continued investment have been instrumental to the Service’s ongoing transformation and force expansion,” he said.

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Earlier, the Chief of Training (Army), Major General Valentine Okoro, described Exercise RESTORE HOPE X as a key component of the Nigerian Army’s training architecture, saying it has consistently produced highly motivated and combat-ready soldiers.

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According to him, the programme exposed trainees to realistic operational scenarios, tactical operations, marksmanship, field craft, combat endurance, leadership development and counter-insurgency operations.

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“The exercise has strengthened institutional capacity by standardising post-basic infantry training, refining instructional methodologies and promoting continuous improvement across the Nigerian Army’s training establishments,” Okoro said.

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The graduation ceremony marked another milestone in the Nigerian Army’s ongoing efforts to build a more capable fighting force through enhanced training, force expansion and improved operational readiness.

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