By Nkechi Eze
The Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lieutenant General Waidi Shaibu, has commissioned refurbished operational vehicles and the Nightingale Club at 1 Women Battalion, Giri, Abuja, as part of efforts to strengthen troops’ operational readiness, mobility and welfare.
According to an official statement signed by the Acting Director Army Public Relations, Colonel Appolonia Anele, the COAS said the availability of serviceable mobility assets was critical to enabling troops to move personnel, equipment and logistics promptly in response to operational requirements.
Represented at the commissioning ceremony on Monday, September 21, 2026, by Colonel Anele, Lieutenant General Shaibu said the refurbished vehicles would enhance the formation’s ability to respond efficiently to assigned tasks, stressing that military effectiveness was closely linked to the availability and serviceability of operational platforms.
He directed commanders and personnel entrusted with the vehicles to ensure proper maintenance, responsible handling and strict adherence to regulations, stressing that the assets were national resources that must be protected, accounted for and used strictly for authorised military purposes.
The Army Chief also described the Nightingale Club as an important investment in the human element of military effectiveness, noting that a capable and resilient force required not only operational equipment but also an environment that supports the morale, cohesion and wellbeing of personnel.
He said the facility would provide opportunities for recreation, healthy social interaction and relaxation for personnel and their families, while strengthening camaraderie and esprit de corps within the formation.
Lieutenant General Shaibu commended the leadership and personnel of 1 Women Battalion, alongside officers, soldiers, civilian staff, contractors and other stakeholders whose collective efforts contributed to the successful completion of the projects.
He charged commanders and personnel to sustain a culture of maintenance, accountability and prudent management of military resources, stressing that the value of the commissioned assets would ultimately be measured by their impact on operational effectiveness and personnel welfare.
Earlier, the Commander Nigerian Army Women Command, Brigadier General Muhammed Sani Adamu, described the Nightingale Club as a strategic investment in the human element of military effectiveness.
Adamu commended the COAS for his strategic guidance and sustained provision of resources to enhance personnel welfare in line with his Soldier First philosophy, stressing that prioritising the human element remained critical to building a motivated force capable of sustaining operational effectiveness and discharging its constitutional responsibilities.
