FIC Report (Oyo State) – The Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lieutenant General Waidi Shaibu, has charged the Nigerian Army personnel to intensify efforts toward enhancing operational effectiveness and resilience through a structured lessons-learned and feedback mechanism across formations.
Shaibu gave this charge on Tuesday, March 17th, at a sensitisation seminar held at the Adekunle Fajuyi Cantonment, Odogbo Barracks, Oojo, Ibadan, Oyo State, for troops of the 2 Division Nigerian Army.
The seminar was organized by the Department of Transformation and Innovation of the Nigerian Army.
General Shuaibu, who was represented at the seminar by the General Officer Commanding (GOC) 2 Division of the Nigerian Army, Major General Chinedu Nnebeife, said the seminar, themed “Lessons Learned: Forging Operational Resilience from Experience to Excellence,” was designed to strengthen troops’ capacity to translate field experiences into improved operational outcomes.
According to the Chief of Army Staff (COAS), the aims of the seminar was to equip officers and soldiers with the knowledge required to leverage operational experiences in enhancing adaptability, decision-making, and overall effectiveness.
“This seminar was put together to acquaint our officers and soldiers on how lessons from field experiences can strengthen adaptability, improve decision-making and enhance our overall operational effectiveness,” he said.
General Shaibu noted that the focus on the junior and middle cadre personnel was deliberate, describing them as the “tactical backbone” of the Army.
“It is at this critical level that the weight of battle is borne, making the lesson-learned process essential in shaping readiness and effectiveness for future engagements”.
The Army Chief emphasised the need for continuous review of the tactics, techniques and procedures, stressing that both kinetic and non-kinetic approaches must be refined to address evolving security challenges.
He further highlighted the importance of systematically integrating lessons from both operational successes and identified gaps into planning and execution to minimise setbacks and build long-term resilience.
Shaibu stated that the initiative aligns with his command philosophy of transforming the Nigerian Army into a more professional, adaptable, combat-ready and resilient force capable of effectively discharging its constitutional responsibilities within a joint and multi-agency environment.
He also commended the Department of Transformation and Innovation for organising the seminar, noting that sessions on drug abuse and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) were critical to personnel welfare and operational efficiency.
The COAS urged the participants to take the full advantage of the seminar to enhance their understanding of operational learning processes and leadership capacity.
“By the end of this seminar, participants are expected to deepen their mastery of methodologies for deriving actionable lessons from operational engagements,” he said.
He expressed appreciation to President Bola Tinubu for “his continued support and strategic guidance”, which he said has contributed to the Army’s successes in safeguarding national security.
Earlier, the chief organiser of the training, the Chief of Transformation and Innovation (Army), Major General Olusegun Samson Abai, said that the seminar was designed to enlighten troops on the Nigerian Army’s lessons-learned process and feedback mechanisms.
Abai noted that the theme aligned with the vision of building a more professional and responsive force capable of addressing contemporary security challenges.
“This seminar is designed to deepen troops’ understanding of how to systematically extract, collate and analyse operational lessons, thereby ensuring that past missteps are not repeated,” he said.
He added that the programme would also address psychological and behavioural challenges faced by troops in the field.
“By fostering mental resilience and operational awareness, we aim to build a force that is not only battle-ready but also emotionally and ethically grounded,” Abai stated.
He disclosed that the seminar features lectures on lessons-learned processes, drug and substance abuse, and post-traumatic stress disorder, all aimed at enhancing discipline, health, and operational readiness.
Moses Oyelade,
AD(I&PR), FIC Ibadan.
