COAS Calls for Battle-Hardened Training to Prepare NDA Cadets for Modern Warfare

The Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lieutenant General Waidi Shaibu, has urged the Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA) to intensify cadet training to meet the demands of contemporary warfare. He made the call during a courtesy visit by the Commandant of the NDA, Major General Oluyemi Olatoye, to Army Headquarters in Abuja.

According to a statement signed by the Acting Director, Army Public Relations, Lt. Col. Appolonia Anele, General Shaibu emphasized the need for purposeful leadership, discipline, courage, character formation, and strategic thinking in grooming future officers, stressing that such qualities are critical to bridging existing gaps in military operations.

He highlighted the importance of strengthening the Academy’s research institutions particularly the Department of Military Science to support Nigeria’s Defence Industry and drive indigenous military innovation. According to him, a robust research framework will provide the intellectual foundation for a technologically advanced and responsive fighting force.

The COAS also called for a review of the NDA curriculum to reflect evolving security threats, with increased focus on night operations, physical conditioning, artificial intelligence, and other emerging domains of warfare. These enhancements, he said, are essential to aligning cadet training with the realities of modern battlefields and supporting his Command Philosophy of transforming the Nigerian Army into a more professional, adaptable and combat-ready force.

General Shaibu reaffirmed his commitment to supporting the NDA leadership in achieving these goals, noting that the Academy plays a central role in producing officers who are strategically grounded and operationally prepared to safeguard the nation.

In his remarks, Major General Olatoye congratulated the COAS on his appointment by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, describing the NDA as the “training factory” for the future leaders of the Armed Forces. He pledged to sustain the legacies of past Commandants while seeking continued support from Army Headquarters to deliver competent, disciplined and professional officers capable of defending Nigeria’s security interests.

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