The Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lieutenant General Waidi Shaibu, has urged officers and soldiers graduating from Exercise Restore Hope IX to convert the skills and discipline acquired during training into tangible battlefield successes as they deploy to various theatres to confront Nigeria’s security challenges.
Speaking at the final exercise and graduation ceremony held at the Nigerian Army Training Camp in Kachia, Kaduna State, the Army Chief stressed that success in contemporary warfare demanded more than courage.
According to him, combat excellence must be underpinned by discipline, adaptability, teamwork and professionalism.
Shaibu described Exercise Restore Hope as a key pillar of the Nigerian Army’s transformation agenda, noting that it was designed to produce a professional, resilient and mission-oriented force capable of operating effectively in joint and multi-agency environments.
In a statement, the Acting Director of Army Public Relations, Colonel Appolonia Anele, said the intensive infantry training had enhanced the operational readiness of the graduating troops.
She explained that participants were equipped with improved marksmanship, physical endurance, combat medical skills and the mental resilience required for sustained, high-tempo operations.
The COAS further emphasised that battlefield victories must be achieved within the bounds of professionalism and respect for human rights, stressing that ethical conduct and accountability were essential for maintaining public trust and operational legitimacy.
He commended the instructors and training establishments for upholding high standards, adding that graduates of previous editions of Exercise Restore Hope had continued to distinguish themselves in various operational theatres across the country.
Earlier, the Chief of Training (Army), Major General V. U. Okoro, said the exercise, now in its ninth edition, remained one of the Nigerian Army’s most critical post-basic training platforms.
He noted that it played a vital role in sharpening combat skills, building resilience and preparing personnel for the realities of modern conflict.
Shaibu subsequently declared Exercise Restore Hope IX closed, congratulated the graduating officers and soldiers, and approved the immediate promotion and decoration of seven soldiers, who distinguished themselves as instructors during the exercise.
In a related development, troops of 1 Division/Sector 1, Operation Fansan Yamma (OPFY), successfully thwarted a bandit attack and neutralised one suspected violent extremist during a snap ambush in the Maraban Rido general area of Kaduna State.
The operation followed a distress call on January 22, 2026, reporting that armed bandits had rustled livestock in Anguwan Fulan village, within the Rido area.
“Acting promptly on the intelligence, the troops were rapidly deployed to the location to set up a hasty ambush. Upon arrival, they made contact with the fleeing bandits and engaged them with superior firepower, forcing the criminals to retreat in disarray, with at least one sustaining gunshot wounds.
“The troops subsequently carried out a thorough clearance of the surrounding forested areas, including the Kankomi forest, where further contact was made at a suspected bandit crossing point near Anguwan Sarki,” Army said.
The Service stressed that the swift and decisive action by OPFY troops demonstrated the continued effectiveness of intelligence-driven operations in disrupting criminal networks and securing vulnerable communities in Kaduna State.
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