Army Chief Urges Commanders To Adapt To Emerging Terrorism Threats

The Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lt Gen Waidi Shaibu, has charged commanders of the various army operations across the country to continually review and adapt strategies to counter emerging and evolving security threats bedevilling the country.

Shaibu has called on commanders to be flexible and adaptable in fighting threats posed by terrorists, bandits and other criminal elements as contemporary military operations can no longer be based on conventional approaches due to the changing tactics employed by the enemies.
The COAS, who gave the charge at the opening of the Chief of Army Staff First Bi-Annual Conference 2026, in Abuja, equally assured Nigerians that the Army would continue to work closely with other security agencies to ensure the protection of the lives and property of law-abiding citizens.

The Army chief said that the current security environment has become more dynamic and complex and called for proactive leadership, innovation and enhanced operational capabilities.

Shaibu, who praised the officers and soldiers for their courage, resilience and determination to keep Nigeria one, said: “The evolving security environment demands that we continuously review and improve our operational strategies to remain ahead of those threatening the peace and stability of our country.

“We need to continue to be proactive, resilient and innovative in addressing these security challenges,” he said.

The conference was strategically designed to evaluate the operational realities in the various theatres of operation and to evolve practical responses to the emerging threats, the COAS said. He urged the participants to critically evaluate the existing operational methods and to identify areas that require strategic adjustments.

Shaibu, however, emphasised the need for more collaboration in the joint and multi-agency environment to enhance operational effectiveness. “No security agency can on its own address the security challenges facing Nigeria without effective synergy and intelligence sharing.

Gen. Shaibu highlighted the importance of realistic and mission-oriented training programmes in improving troop preparedness and operational efficiency. He said the Army under his leadership has continued to focus on troop training, logistics support and operational capability development to strengthen the force.

He said the Nigerian Army was still focused on building a combat ready force capable of responding decisively to contemporary security threats just as he noted that discipline and strict adherence to rules of engagement were essential to sustaining operational credibility and strengthening public trust.

He also noted that the increased professionalism of troops had positively impacted on civil-military relations and elevated the status of the Army nationally and internationally and called on officers and soldiers to continue to uphold the core values of discipline, loyalty, courage and selfless service in all operational engagements.