The Chief of Army Staff (CoAS), Lieutenant General Waidi Shaibu, has reaffirmed the Nigerian Army’s commitment to a dynamic, intelligence-driven and technology-enabled approach in addressing asymmetric threats to national security.
Shaibu stated this on Tuesday, February 3, 2026, while delivering a strategic lecture titled “Combating Asymmetric Threats to National Security in Nigeria: The Nigerian Army in Perspective” to participants of Course 34 at the National Defence College (NDC), Nigeria.
He observed that the global security landscape has shifted significantly from traditional state-centric warfare to complex intra-state conflicts driven largely by non-state actors, including terrorists, insurgents, bandits, cybercriminals and transnational organised crime networks. According to him, these groups exploit governance gaps, societal vulnerabilities and emerging technologies to undermine state authority.
In response, the COAS said the Nigerian Army has recalibrated its operational doctrine and force posture through a comprehensive multi-domain strategy that combines kinetic operations with intelligence fusion, inter-agency collaboration, joint operations with sister services and sustained international partnerships.
“Asymmetric threats thrive on adaptability, anonymity and the deliberate targeting of civilians to erode public confidence and state authority. Our response must therefore be equally adaptive, proactive, intelligence-led and collaborative,” Shaibu said.
He explained that Army operations across the country’s geo-political zones have been tailored to specific threat environments. In the North-East, sustained counter-insurgency operations have continued to degrade terrorist capabilities through offensive manoeuvres, intelligence-led strikes and population-focused stabilisation efforts.
In the North-West, the COAS said intensified joint operations have disrupted bandit networks, dismantled logistics and financing channels, and enhanced the protection of vulnerable communities. Meanwhile, stabilisation efforts in the North-Central region have focused on area domination, civilian protection and the containment of communal and militia-related violence.
Shaibu also highlighted the impact of advanced technologies, improved training regimes and increased jointness with sister services in enhancing situational awareness, operational reach and mission effectiveness. He stressed that modern national security goes beyond territorial defence to include economic security, cyber resilience, environmental stability and human security.
According to him, lasting peace can only be achieved when military efforts are complemented by effective governance, justice delivery and inclusive socio-economic development.
Addressing participants of NDC Course 34, whom he described as Nigeria’s future strategic leaders, the COAS urged them to adopt integrated and forward-looking security frameworks that address both the immediate manifestations and root causes of conflict.
He reassured Nigerians of the Nigerian Army’s unwavering resolve to defend national sovereignty, protect lives and property, and secure critical national infrastructure, despite the evolving nature and complexity of security threats.
The lecture underscored the Army’s continued emphasis on adaptability, innovation and partnership in safeguarding Nigeria’s national security.
