The Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lieutenant General Taoreed Lagbaja, has urged the troops of the Nigerian Army, recent graduates of Exercise Restore Hope VI, to demonstrate the tangible returns on the investments made in their training by generating significant impacts across operational theaters throughout the nation.
Director of Army Public Relations, Major General Onyema Nwachukwu, conveyed the COAS’s directive on Friday, April 5, 2024, during the graduation ceremony of troops who completed a rigorous three-month training regimen as part of the 6th series of Exercise Restore Hope at the Nigerian Army Training Centre in Kachia, Kaduna State. This post-depot training exercise is designed to refine the tactical, marksmanship, physical fitness, and Special Operations capabilities of soldiers in preparation for deployment.
Following an impressive display of combat skills by the graduating troops, General Lagbaja expressed satisfaction that the Nigerian Training Team had assumed full responsibility for conducting Exercise Restore Hope, superseding the initial involvement of foreign partners in the training program.
He voiced confidence in the enhanced combat readiness resulting from the acquired competencies and skills, anticipating a significant impact once the troops are deployed to operational theaters. He eagerly anticipated positive reports of their performance in the field.
The COAS acknowledged the unwavering support of President Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Nigeria, and expressed gratitude to the Minister and Minister of State for Defence, the Chief of Defence Staff, and other Service Chiefs for their collaborative efforts in strengthening the Nigerian Army’s capacity to fulfill its constitutional mandates.
Major General Gambo Mohammed, Chief of Training (Army), highlighted the success of the initiative, which began in July 2021 and has since trained a total of 3,633 Nigerian Army personnel, including the 545 recent graduates.
Following the graduation ceremony, the COAS proceeded to the Nigerian Army School of Artillery (NASA) in Kachia, where he inaugurated a newly constructed refectory with a seating capacity of 600 for the school’s trainees. Equipped with essential facilities such as a borehole, kitchen, air-conditioning, and CCTV cameras, the refectory meets international standards for optimal training environments.
