The Minister of Defence, Alhaji Mohammed Badaru, has urged the military to ensure that troops training is aligned with Nigeria’s national security objectives to defeat the enemies of the state.
Badaru gave the charge on Wednesday in Abuja, at the Defence Training Conference 2025, which had as its theme, “Performance Oriented Training and Trends in the Contemporary Operating Environment”.
He noted that addressing the country’s security threats required the military adopting forward-looking strategies based on rigorous training, inter-agency coordination, and real-time adaptation to emerging doctrines and technologies.
According to him, we are in an era where threats to national security are no longer confined to traditional state actors or conventional battlefield engagements, but asymmetric threats, hybrid warfare, and other non-traditional challenges that demand more than just tactical responses.
”To address these threats effectively, the Armed Forces of Nigeria must adopt forward-looking strategies grounded in rigorous training, inter-agency coordination and real-time adaptation to new doctrines and technologies.
”The success of any military institution depends not just on the caliber of its personnel or the sophistication of its equipment, but on the quality, relevance and sustainability of its training level.
”As we gather here today, we must confront a pertinent and fundamental question; how can we ensure that our Armed Forces is more proactive and anticipatory in the face of rapidly evolving security threats?
”The answer lies in strategic investments in performance-oriented training that prioritises outcomes, simulates real-world complexities and aligns closely with current and future operational realities.
”It is therefore, no longer enough to train for the threats of yesterday without training for the uncertainties of tomorrow and beyond.”
The minister reaffirmed the Federal Government’s commitment to supporting the military in overcoming the nation’s security threats.
He emphasised the significance of joint and combined training exercises, noting that no single service could secure the nation alone.
”Modern military operations demand close collaboration; not only among the Army, Navy and Air Force, but also with other security agencies and international partners.
”Exercises like AFRICAN LION, OBANGAME EXPRESS and our participation in ECOWAS Standby Force drills are examples of the kind of multi-dimensional cooperation we must continue to pursue,” he said.
