What the Army Chief Told the Army Special Forces
The Chief of Army Staff, Lt Gen Waidi Shaibu, has delivered a clear and uncompromising message to Nigeria’s elite fighters: take the fight to the enemy and dominate the battlefield decisively.
During his maiden operational visit to the 4 Special Forces Command in Doma, Nasarawa State, on 3 March 2026, the Army Chief charged troops to intensify and sustain high-impact operations aimed at crushing terrorists and insurgents across the country.
He made it clear that the Nigerian Army Special Forces remain at the forefront of a determined national campaign to dismantle and neutralise criminal networks threatening the nation’s security.
Addressing personnel of the 4 Special Forces Command and the Nigerian Army Special Forces School, Lieutenant General Shaibu underscored the need for precision-driven, intelligence-led operations to dominate the battlespace.
According to him, the evolving security landscape demands speed, surprise and superior combat readiness. Troops, he stressed, must remain proactive, adaptive and relentlessly mission-focused.
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Reaffirming his operational philosophy, the COAS declared that the era of reactive engagements is over. Terrorists and violent criminals, he warned, will find no sanctuary anywhere within Nigeria’s borders.
Earlier, the Army Chief received detailed operational briefings from the Commander, 4 Special Forces Command, Major General Olurotimi Azubuike Awolo, and the Commandant of the Nigerian Army Special Forces School, Brigadier General Umar Faruk Abubakar.
Expressing satisfaction with the Command’s operational posture and training standards, he approved the immediate construction of additional accommodation blocks and critical facilities to boost training capacity, operational efficiency and troop welfare.
Lieutenant General Shaibu assured officers and soldiers that their welfare, and that of their families, remains a top priority.
He pledged sustained investment in training, logistics and modern combat enablers to ensure the Special Forces maintain clear superiority over adversaries.
In a symbolic nod to sustainability and environmental responsibility, the COAS and his Principal Staff Officers capped the visit by planting trees within the cantonment, an enduring sign that while the Army sharpens its sword, it is also building for the future.