By Nkechi Eze
The Minister of Defence, General Christopher Gwabin Musa (Rtd), has charged military officers graduating from the Army War College Nigeria (AWCN) to translate their professional military training into decisive operational action to tackle insecurity and strengthen national security.
Musa gave the charge on Friday, October 16, 2026, at the graduation ceremony of 99 participants of Course 10/2026 in Abuja, where he served as the Special Guest of Honour.
According to an official statement signed by Queenet Iheoma-Hart, Chief Information Officer, the minister stressed that the true value of the nine-month intensive professional military education would be measured by the graduands’ ability to deliver tangible results in the field.
“Go out to the field and make the difference,” Musa charged the graduating officers.
He urged them to align their operational efforts with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s directive at the recent National Security Council meeting that the fight against insecurity must not extend into a third decade.
The minister reaffirmed the professionalism and commitment of the Armed Forces of Nigeria, expressing confidence in the military’s capacity to address the country’s security challenges through discipline, dedication and effective operations.
He also emphasised that hard work, integrity and proven performance must remain the basis for career advancement in the Armed Forces, noting that officers entrusted with higher responsibilities must demonstrate exceptional commitment and professional competence.
Citing the career progression of the Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Waidi Shaibu, as an example, Musa maintained that merit and dedication should guide the promotion of military personnel.
On modern warfare, the defence minister observed that military success was no longer determined solely by the possession of expensive equipment, but increasingly by the ability to adapt to technological developments and deploy innovative solutions.
He called on all departments of the Armed Forces to embrace innovation as a critical component of operational effectiveness, stressing that technological advancement should not be regarded as the exclusive responsibility of engineers.
Musa also urged the Armed Forces to support peaceful, safe and credible elections through collaboration with the Independent National Electoral Commission, the Nigeria Police Force and other relevant security agencies.
He said such cooperation was necessary to protect citizens from intimidation and prevent individuals or groups from undermining the electoral process.
Earlier, the Commandant of the Army War College Nigeria, Major General Umar Alkali, reaffirmed the institution’s commitment to producing competent military leaders capable of addressing Nigeria’s evolving security challenges.
Alkali said Course 10/2026 completed 37 weeks of intensive professional military education and recorded significant milestones, including the participation of the first female officers and the highest number of allied participants since the establishment of the college.
He highlighted indigenous technological innovation and inter-agency cooperation as essential to improving military effectiveness, urging the graduands to uphold professionalism, integrity and sound judgment in the discharge of their duties.
The ceremony featured the presentation of Fellowship Awards to the 99 graduands by the minister, alongside certificates and other honours recognising academic and professional achievements.
A wounded officer among the graduands also received a special souvenir and a cash gift of N5 million in recognition of his courage.
Other highlights included the presentation of Merit Awards by the Chief of Army Staff, the induction of graduates into the Alumni Association of the Army War College Nigeria by its president, Brigadier General O.A. Ogunleye (Rtd), and the unveiling and launch of the college’s journal, magazine and books.
Awards were also presented to Distinguished Eminent Fellows, while souvenirs were presented to the Special Guest of Honour and the Minister of Defence.
The event was attended by senior military officers, the Director, Army, Ministry of Defence, members of the diplomatic corps and other dignitaries. Allied officers from African countries, including South Africa and Cameroon, were also among the graduating participants.
