The Army is expanding its combat capability with the establishment of additional divisions, formations and units to improve its response to emerging security threats across the country.
The Army Chief, Lieutenant General Waidi Shaibu, disclosed this on Friday, August 7, 2026, while speaking at the graduation ceremony of the Advanced Infantry Training Programme, code-named Exercise RESTORE HOPE X, held at the Nigerian Army Training Centre in Kachia, Kaduna State.
The programme, described as the Nigerian Army’s flagship post-basic infantry training exercise, is designed to enhance combat proficiency, strengthen the warrior ethos and prepare soldiers for the complexities of modern military operations.
According to a statement signed by the Acting Director, Army Public Relations, Colonel Appolonia Anele, on August 7, Shaibu said the graduation came at a critical period in the ongoing transformation of the Nigerian Army.
He explained that the restructuring of the Army, approved by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, had resulted in the creation of additional divisions, formations and units aimed at optimising force deployment and improving operational responsiveness.
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The Army Chief said many of the soldiers graduating from Exercise RESTORE HOPE X would form the nucleus of the newly established formations, adding that they were expected to translate the skills acquired during the training into effective operational performance.
Shaibu urged the graduands to justify the resources invested in their training by maintaining high standards of professionalism, discipline, sound judgment and commitment to mission accomplishment.
He also charged them to remain physically fit, mentally agile and technologically proficient while adapting continuously to emerging security threats.
The Army Chief further reminded the soldiers of the need to uphold the rule of law, protect human rights and comply strictly with the rules of engagement in the discharge of their duties.
Shaibu expressed appreciation to President Tinubu for his continued support for the Nigerian Army’s operational, training and administrative needs.
He said the President’s strategic guidance and investment had contributed significantly to the ongoing transformation and expansion of the Nigerian Army.
The Army Chief stressed that sustained investment in realistic and mission-oriented training remained crucial to developing a highly skilled fighting force capable of achieving decisive operational success across various theatres.
Earlier, the Chief of Training (Army), Major General Valentine Okoro, described Exercise RESTORE HOPE X as a key component of the Nigerian Army’s training architecture.
Okoro said the programme had consistently produced highly motivated and combat-ready soldiers who had distinguished themselves in various theatres of operation.
He explained that the trainees were exposed to realistic operational scenarios, tactical operations, marksmanship, field craft, combat endurance, leadership development and counter-insurgency operations.
According to him, the training also improved the soldiers’ confidence, decision-making abilities and battlefield competence.
Okoro added that Exercise RESTORE HOPE X had strengthened the Army’s institutional capacity by standardising post-basic infantry training, improving instructional methods and promoting continuous improvement across its training establishments.
