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Ex-Army chief Yahaya urges overhaul of recruitment, training to bolster military readiness

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Former Chief of Army Staff, Lt.-Gen. Faruk Yahaya (rtd), has called for a comprehensive and uncompromising reform in recruitment, training, and performance evaluation to strengthen the Nigerian Army’s professionalism and combat effectiveness.

He made this call while delivering a lecture at the Nigerian Army Day Celebration (NADCEL) 2025, held at the Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA) Kaduna on Saturday.

He emphasized that courage, vigilance, and uncompromising standards must guide every stage of a soldier’s career—from recruitment and training to operational deployment.

“Recruitment and selection into the Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA) and Depot Nigerian Army must be thorough and uncompromising. There is no room for weakness or mediocrity. We must be courageous and firm in weeding out bad eggs at every stage,” Yahaya stated.

He said the evolving modern threats and impacts on current training must include a change in training paradigms to reflect, not only conventional warfare, but also terrorism, asymmetric warfare, ideological extremism, and cyber threats.

He suggested a modification of military training. programs to include important strategic courses on emotional intelligence, military psychology, counter-terrorism tactics, and social media awareness.

“Effective training will help solidify the soldier-first concept in the minds of instructors and students. We must reflect modern threats in our training, not just conventional warfare,” he said.

The retired Army chief also stressed the importance of enhancing simulation-based and hands-on training to match real-time battlefield conditions. He urged military institutions across the country to modernize their facilities to meet 21st-century demands.

Yahaya proposed increased collaboration with international military institutions in countries like the United States, United Kingdom, and Pakistan. He said such partnerships would help fast-track knowledge transfer and improve the technical competence of Nigerian personnel.

“We must scale up our engagements with allied nations on training programs. Our non-commissioned officers should have wider access to Junior Command, Regimentation, and Train-the-Trainer courses abroad to meet international standards,” he added.

He stressed the need for capacity building for senior non-commissioned officers (SNCO) as a key target in modern military operations, primarily when operating below the level of battalion in a decentralized context, such as the North East and Lake Chad Basin.

“Modern security challenges can no longer be addressed solely through massed formations.

The Army must build a force capable of executing small-unit warfighting with speed, precision and initiative using a decentralized command structure grounded in the principle of mission command,” Yahaya said.

He reiterated that providing tactical leadership skills to SNCOs will close the gap of officers especially in remote and high-risk theatres of operation.

Yahaya concluded by saying that any reform effort must be soldier-centric which ensures that soldier’s welfare; professionalism and operational capability are the focus.

“The future of our Army depends on the soldier—how well we train, equip, and support him. Let us define our vision clearly and pursue it with consistency and discipline,” he said.

The guest lecture was part of a series of professional engagements, paving the way for NADCEL 2025, which saw a celebration of the 162nd year of the establishment of the Nigerian Army.

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Nigerians React As Wike And His Support Group Launch Rivers-Based Radio Station To Campaign For Tinubu’s 2027 Re-election

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Nigerians on social media are currently debating over a radio station current Minister of the FCT and past governor of Rivers state, Nyesom Wike, launched to campaign for President Tinubu’ re-election in 2027.

Wike who is in a running battle with his successor and incumbent governor of the state, Sim Fubatra, launched the radio station on Saturday, February 7. His media aide, Lere Olayinka, who posted a video from the opening of the station, wrote

‘’Rivers State Renewed Hope Ambassadors don get Radio Station on top Tinubu’s matter.

It is Majority FM 89.5.

Located right inside the Renewed Hope Ambassadors’ office in Port Harcourt that the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike just commissioned.”

While some Nigerians lauded Wike’s move, others argued that it smarks of eyeservice. They wonder what would become of the radio station after the elections in 2027. Others opined that Wike is only doing this to prove to President Tinubu that he is more valuable in the re-election bid than Governor Fubara who has found favor in the sight of some APC chieftains.

An X-user wondered the legality of having a radio station being opened for election campaigning. He asked how the National Broadcasting Commission NBC granted such approval for a radio station.

Read the divergent views below

 

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Man in shock after lady he lodged with in a hotel in Abuja flees with his car and other valuables

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A Nigerian man is currently in shock after a young lady identified as Precious Chinyere , whom he took to a hotel in the Asokoro area in the FCT for a romantic getaway allegedly fled with his car and other personal belongings on Thursday, February 5,

The distraught man and Precious had visited the hotel and opted for a short time stay. Things took a different in the evening when the man noticed Precious had left the hotel room without notifying him and took along with her some of his personal belongings including phones and laptop and also his car.

The victim immediately reported the incident to the police.

When contacted, the spokesperson of the FCT police command, SP Josephine Adeh, told LIB that the matter is currently being investigated and that efforts are being made to apprehend the suspect.

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US Reacts As De@th Toll In Kwara Terror Attacks Hits 200

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The United States Mission in Nigeria has condemned the k!lling of more than 200 civilians in recent attacks on communities in Kwara State.

Recall that terrorists launched de@dly attacks on Woro and Nuku communities in Kaiama Local Government Area of the state on Tuesday night, k!lling unsuspecting citizens.

It was gathered that the gunmen invaded the villages, opened fire on residents and burned homes.

According to reports, the de@th toll from the unfortunate incident hit 200 on Thursday night.

Reacting, the US Mission Nigeria condemned the k!lling via a post on its official X handle.

The post reads, “The United States condemns the horrific attack in Kwara state in Nigeria, which claimed the lives of more than 160 people, with the de@th toll still unconfirmed and many still unaccounted for.

“We express our deepest condolences to the families of those affected by this senseless violence.

“We welcome President Tinubu’s order to deploy security forces to protect villages in the area and his directive to federal and state officials to provide aid to the community and bring the perpetrators of this atrocity to justice.”

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