Army urges troops to maintain combat readiness amid security threats

By Boye Oyeyemi

The Nigerian Army has urged officers and soldiers to sustain operational superiority over adversaries through continuous training, discipline and combat preparedness.

The General Officer Commanding, 2 Division, Nigerian Army, Ibadan, Maj. Gen. Auwalu Mahmuda, gave the charge on Friday at the closing ceremony of the 2026 Inter-Brigade Combat Proficiency Competition held at the 32 Artillery Brigade in Akure, Ondo State.

Represented by Brig. Gen. Muhammed Momoh, the GOC said regular military exercises and proficiency competitions were essential to enhancing troops’ capacity to respond effectively to emerging security threats.

Mahmuda stressed that personnel must remain committed to continuous training, noting that the Nigerian Army remained a key stakeholder in efforts to address the security challenges confronting the country.

According to him, the competition was designed to assess the operational preparedness of participating troops while strengthening leadership, endurance, teamwork, initiative and other critical combat skills.

Five formations participated in the competition, with personnel tested in various activities, including shooting, weapon handling, swimming, tug-of-war, endurance races and obstacle crossing.

At the end of the contest, the 32 Artillery Brigade, Akure, emerged overall winner, while the 4 Brigade, Benin, and 12 Brigade, Lokoja, finished second and third, respectively, with the 42 Engineer Brigade, Ibadan, and 2 Division Garrison, Ibadan, placing fourth and fifth.

Mahmuda commended the participating formations for their professionalism, resilience and commitment throughout the competition, urging them to sustain regular training and thanked Ondo State Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa and other security stakeholders for their support.