Abuja: The Chief of Army Staff, (COAS) Lt.-Gen. Waidi Shaibu, has emphasised the need for enhanced tactical-level leadership among commanding officers to boost combat readiness in a joint and multi-agency environment. The Army Chief made the call on Tuesday in Abuja, while declaring open the First Commanding Officers’ Workshop 2026 with the theme ‘Enhancing Tactical-Level Leadership in a Joint and Multi-Agency Environment’.
According to News Agency of Nigeria, Shaibu was represented by the Chief of Transformation and Innovation, Army, Maj.-Gen. Olusegun Abai. The workshop is a crucial aspect of the Nigerian Army’s efforts to strengthen training standards and address contemporary operational and administrative challenges. ‘The theme of this workshop, ‘Enhancing Tactical-Level Leadership for Combat Readiness in a Joint and Multi-Agency Environment’, is adequately crafted and aligns with my command philosophy.’
The COAS noted that commanding officers bore significant responsibility for executing operational directives and translating them into favorable outcomes. He urged the officers to leverage the workshop to reflect on their units’ performance and devise workable methods to retrain troops to be combat-ready and professionally competent.
Shaibu also tasked the commanding officers with building a solid foundation of regimentation, discipline, and junior leadership in the Nigerian Army. He called on the officers to guide young officers and soldiers under their command, providing leadership, mentorship, and direction.
The Commander of Army Headquarters Garrison, Maj.-Gen. Maxwell Dangana, in his remarks, emphasised the need for adaptive, collaborative, and mission-focused leadership among commanding officers in Nigeria’s complex security landscape. Dangana noted that threats were asymmetrical and transnational, requiring coordinated responses from multiple security stakeholders.
Similarly, the Chief of Training, Army, Maj.-Gen. Valentine Okoro, urged commanding officers to enhance their tactical leadership skills to effectively respond to the complex security challenges facing the Nigerian Army. According to Okoro, the initiative supports the COAS’ command philosophy, which aims to transform the Nigerian Army into a more professional, adaptable, combat-ready, and resilient force.