The Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Waidi Shaibu, has charged 1,126 newly graduated Special Forces soldiers to intensify offensive operations against terrorists and other criminal elements threatening Nigeria’s security.
The charge was given at the Nigerian Army Training Centre, Kachia, Kaduna State, during the graduation ceremony of Exercise RESTORE HOPE IX, the Army’s advanced infantry training programme.
Exercise Restore Hope is a critical platform for building a resilient and lethal fighting force for the Nigerian Army.
Now in its ninth series, the programme has expanded in scope and capacity, with troops trained in marksmanship, combat medicine, direct action operations and survival skills required for modern warfare.
Addressing the graduating soldiers, Lieutenant General Shaibu said Exercise Restore Hope remains a flagship post-basic training designed to sharpen combat readiness, instil battle ethos and prepare personnel for real-life operational challenges.
He charged the troops to confront insurgents and criminals decisively across all theatres, while maintaining professionalism, discipline and respect for human rights.
The Army Chief reaffirmed that training is the cornerstone of his command philosophy, commending the graduates for their resilience, noting that participants from previous editions have distinguished themselves in ongoing operations, affirming the quality of the training.
The army chief assured the troops of sustained leadership support and urged commanders at all levels to care for and motivate their personnel.
Highlights of the ceremony included the promotion and decoration of instructors who distinguished themselves during the exercise.
(Editor: Nkoli Omhoudu)
