By Nkechi Eze
The Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lieutenant General Waidi Shaibu, Nigerian Army Medal, has urged newly commissioned officers of the Nigerian Army to uphold absolute loyalty to the Constitution, maintain uncompromising discipline and place national interest above personal considerations as the country enters a decisive phase in its fight against insecurity.
According to an official signed statement by the Acting Director, Army Public Relations, Lieutenant Colonel Appolonia Anele, the Army Chief gave the charge on Saturday, 6 December 2025, during the Passing Out Parade of Executive Commission Course 2/2025 held at the Nigerian Army School of Infantry (NASI), Jaji. The COAS noted that the commissioning of the new officers aligns directly with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s declaration of a State of Emergency on Security, which mandates the expansion of manpower, the strengthening of frontline deployments and the acceleration of stabilisation efforts across the country’s troubled hotspots.
General Shaibu expressed satisfaction with the quality of training received by the 250 officers, including 14 female officers, emphasising that their impressive parade performance and weapon-handling drills reflect the rising professional standards within the Army. He stressed that the current security landscape demands officers who are not only physically prepared but also mentally grounded, ethically disciplined and unwaveringly loyal to civil authority. He cautioned them to remain strictly apolitical, describing constitutional loyalty and professionalism as the foundation upon which the Army’s honour and credibility rest.
The COAS reminded the officers that they are joining the Army at a defining moment in Nigeria’s security history, a period marked by terrorism, banditry and evolving asymmetric threats that require courageous, mission-focused and morally upright leadership. He charged them to view their commission not as a ceremonial achievement but as a call to serve the nation with integrity and resilience.
Earlier, the Commandant of NASI, Major General Frank Etim, highlighted the deliberate restructuring of the institution’s training curriculum to address emerging threats more effectively. He noted that the newly commissioned officers underwent intensive modules in Counterterrorism, Counterinsurgency, Tactical Command, Physical Conditioning and Leadership, all designed to prepare them for the realities of contemporary warfare and national security operations.
Major General Etim explained that the training was tailored to instill core military values, loyalty, courage, discipline and integrity which remain non-negotiable for officers expected to shoulder leadership responsibilities in complex operational environments. The parade also witnessed the presentation of awards to officers who distinguished themselves in academics, field exercises and leadership performance during the course.
Reaffirming its commitment to the Federal Government’s security emergency action plan, the Nigerian Army emphasised that it will continue to invest in massive recruitment, rigorous training, enhanced combat readiness and strategic deployments across all theatres of operation as part of its ongoing efforts to safeguard the nation and restore stability.
