By Reportcircle Abuja
With Nigeria locked in a decisive battle to reclaim security nationwide, the Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lieutenant General Waidi Shaibu, issued a stern yet inspiring charge to 250 newly commissioned officers on Saturday, declaring that their service must be anchored on absolute loyalty, unshakable discipline and unwavering commitment to national duty.
The COAS delivered the message at the Passing Out Parade of Executive Commission Course 2/2025, held at the Nigerian Army School of Infantry (NASI), Jaji, a symbolic ground where generations of officers have been forged for frontline leadership.
Shaibu reminded the officers that their commissioning forms part of the Federal Government’s intensified response to rising insecurity, following President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s declaration of a State of Emergency on Security.
He described the new officers as a crucial addition to the nation’s security manpower expansion intended to reinforce deployments, plug operational gaps and stabilise volatile regions.
Visibly impressed by the officers’ precision in parade drills and weapon handling, the Army Chief praised the heightened standards emerging across military training institutions.
He urged the new officers to remain:
Apolitical
Uncompromisingly disciplined
Firmly subordinate to civil authority
“Professionalism and constitutional loyalty remain the bedrock of military service,” he stressed, warning that Nigeria’s evolving warfare landscape demands officers who combine courage with ethical clarity.
Shaibu added that the officers were stepping into service at a defining moment one marked by terrorism, banditry and rapidly evolving asymmetric threats.
Earlier, NASI Commandant Major General Frank Etim disclosed that the training curriculum was deliberately overhauled to reflect new and emerging threats across the country.
He revealed that the 250 officers including 14 female officers underwent rigorous modules covering:
Counterterrorism
Counterinsurgency
Tactical Command
Leadership
Physical Conditioning
He said the training instilled the timeless values of loyalty, integrity, courage and discipline qualities indispensable for officers poised to take charge of troops in high-pressure operational environments.
Awards were presented to officers who demonstrated remarkable performance in academics, field exercises and leadership, reflecting the competitive spirit and professionalism embedded in the course.
The Nigerian Army reiterated its commitment to supporting the Federal Government’s security emergency plan through:
massive recruitment,
intensified training,
enhanced operational readiness, and
strategic deployments across all theatres of operation.
As the parade ground echoed with salutes and marching boots, the message from Jaji was unmistakable: a new generation of officers is stepping forward trained, hardened and called to serve a nation in urgent need of resolute defenders.
