The Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lieutenant General Waidi Shaibu, has reaffirmed the Nigerian Army’s commitment to a modern, intelligence-driven and technology-enabled strategy to confront evolving security threats across Nigeria.
In a statement released on Tuesday by the Acting Director of Army Public Relations, Colonel Appolonia Anele, the COAS made the remarks during a strategic lecture titled “Combating Asymmetric Threats to National Security in Nigeria: The Nigerian Army in Perspective” delivered to participants of the National Defence College (NDC), Course 34.
Shaibu explained that Nigeria’s security environment has shifted from conventional warfare to complex conflicts involving non-state actors such as terrorists, insurgents, bandits, cyber criminals and transnational organized crime networks, which exploit societal vulnerabilities and technological advancements.
He noted that in response, the Nigerian Army has recalibrated its operational doctrine and force posture through a comprehensive multi-domain strategy that integrates kinetic operations, intelligence fusion, inter-agency cooperation, joint military efforts and international partnerships.
Across the country’s geo-political zones, Army operations have been tailored to specific threat dynamics. In the North-East, counter-insurgency campaigns continue to degrade terrorist capabilities through intelligence-driven operations and stabilisation efforts. In the North-West, joint operations have intensified pressure on bandit groups, disrupted logistics and improved community protection. In the North-Central region, stabilization missions have focused on area control, civilian safety and the containment of communal violence.
The COAS highlighted the growing impact of advanced technologies, enhanced training and deeper collaboration with sister services in improving situational awareness and mission effectiveness. He added that modern national security now encompasses economic stability, cyber resilience, environmental security and human safety.
He urged participants of NDC Course 34 to adopt integrated and forward-looking security frameworks that address both immediate threats and their underlying causes, while assuring Nigerians of the Army’s continued resolve to protect lives, property and critical national infrastructure.
