By Nkechi Eze
The Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lieutenant General Waidi Shaibu, has underscored the centrality of professional military education to Nigeria’s national security architecture, tasking the Armed Forces Command and Staff College (AFCSC), Jaji, to continually align its training curriculum with the country’s evolving and complex security environment.
Lieutenant General Shaibu gave the charge while receiving the Commandant of AFCSC, Air Vice Marshal Alfred Olugbenga Shogbanmu, who paid a courtesy visit to the Army Headquarters, Abuja, on Wednesday, 5 February 2026.
In an official signed statement, Acting Director Army Public Relations, Colonel Appolonia Anele, disclosed that the COAS commended the Armed Forces Command and Staff College for its longstanding and pivotal role in producing highly competent staff officers for the Armed Forces of Nigeria.
According to the statement, Lieutenant General Shaibu noted that the increasingly dynamic and multifaceted nature of contemporary security challenges demands proactive institutional responses, robust joint planning and a training framework that is adaptive, forward-looking and firmly rooted in operational realities.
He explained that one of such strategic responses is the establishment of a new Western Theatre Command, aimed at providing more effective focus and coordination in addressing emerging threats within that axis. The COAS stressed that for such initiatives to succeed, military education must continuously evolve to equip officers with the intellectual depth, strategic insight and operational flexibility required for modern warfare.
The Army Chief reaffirmed the unwavering commitment of the Nigerian Army to the sustained support of AFCSC through infrastructure development and capacity enhancement, describing the College as a critical engine room for the development of staff officers whose professionalism has a direct bearing on operational effectiveness across theatres.
Lieutenant General Shaibu further commended the quality of graduates produced by the institution, noting that their contributions have continued to strengthen command, control and coordination within the Armed Forces, while also fostering deeper inter-service and inter-agency synergy.
In his remarks, the Commandant of AFCSC, Air Vice Marshal Alfred Olugbenga Shogbanmu, expressed appreciation for the consistent support of the Nigerian Army, particularly in the establishment of a simulation centre and the rehabilitation of key training facilities, which he said have significantly improved training outcomes and the overall learning environment at the College.
He reaffirmed the resolve of AFCSC to continually review and refine its academic and professional programmes in line with contemporary security demands, while also deepening cooperation among the services and with other security and intelligence agencies.
The engagement reaffirmed the shared commitment of the Nigerian Army and the Armed Forces Command and Staff College to building a future-ready officer corps capable of responding effectively to Nigeria’s present and emerging security challenges.
