Maureen Okpe
The Nigerian Army Guards Brigade has officially declared open its 2025 Combat Proficiency Competition in Abuja, reinforcing the Army’s commitment to combat readiness, leadership development, and national security.
The opening ceremony, on Monday at the Scorpion Officers Mess, WU Bassey Barracks, held with military precision, drew participation from officers and men across the Brigade, highlighting the importance of rigorous military preparation in times of peace.
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Declaring the event open, Director Research and Development, Army Headquarters, Department of Army Transformation and Innovation (DATI), Major General Muhammed Takuti Usman, emphasized the critical role of training in an army’s peacetime posture.
Maj. Gen. Usman stated that, “It is often said that the major preoccupation of an Army in peacetime is training. Training is the foundation of military effectiveness. And in the face of evolving security challenges, it is not just an activity, it is an imperative.”
Highlighting the 2025 Guards Brigade Directive, he stated that the Nigerian Army remains focused on enhancing the combat effectiveness and operational readiness of its personnel.
According to him, “This competition is not just about testing tactical equipment. It is about forwarding decisive leadership, operational expertise, and mission readiness in each and every one of you.”
General Usman encouraged officers to approach the competition not just with a winning mindset, but also with the intent to sharpen their command presence. “Officers constitute the command engine of the Nigerian Army. Without skill and leadership at this level, no army can achieve its objectives.”
The competition features a comprehensive lineup of military activities including skill-at-arms, shooting, a 15-kilometre combat run, map reading, obstacle crossing, and combat swimming, all designed to test mental resilience and physical capability.
He admonished the officers to “embrace every aspect of the competition, for it is through rigorous, realistic training that we forge battle-ready leaders prepared for complex missions.”
Also, Commander Guards Brigade, Brigadier General Adebisi Olusegun Onasanya, who welcomed officers, dignitaries, and spectators to the ceremonial opening, described the event as “a pivotal milestone in our annual training calendar.”
Onasanya added that, the training serves to instill discipline, boost capacity development, and strengthen esprit de corps.
“Through such a platform like this competition, we sharpen performance, instill unwavering discipline, and drive continuous capacity development,”
“In the Nigerian Army, we cultivate excellence, resilience, and teamwork not as aspirations but as non-negotiable standards,”said Brigadier General Onasanya.
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He also stressed that the competition aligns with the Chief of Army Staff’s command philosophy of consolidating the transformation of the Nigerian Army into a well-motivated and combat-ready force.
“We aim to elevate combat proficiency through relentless training, leadership development, endurance, and unbreakable esprit de corps,” he said.
Encouraging participants, he added, “Your tenacity will define our collective readiness. I charge every officer here to embrace the rigor ahead with your physical fortitude and mental toughness that will forge the elite force our nation demands.”
The event is expected to stretch across several days, with officers competing under strict supervision to ensure fairness and integrity.