The General Officer Commanding 8 Division of the Nigerian Army, Major General Ibikunle Ajose, has attributed the operational success recorded by troops to their physical and mental fitness.
The GOC made this known during the opening ceremony of the 2025 8 Division Inter-Formation Corporal and Below Competition, held at the 26 Battalion Parade Ground in Sokoto on Monday.
The competition, which is a vital component of the Army’s annual training program, is aimed at enhancing the competence and professional performance of troops in the field.
Represented by Brigadier General Moses Udom Ikobah, the GOC emphasized the importance of physical and mental preparedness in achieving mission objectives within the theater of operations.
“As your General Officer Commanding and the Commander, Sector 2, Operation FANSAN YAMMA, I can attest that the operational success we have recorded so far could not have been possible if the troops’ mental and physical fitness were in doubt. It is against this backdrop that this very important training activity is designed”.
He said that the inter-formation competition was organized to promote esprit de corps, boost morale, instill positive values, and improve junior leadership, organizational abilities, and initiative among non-commissioned officers.
Participants in the competition were drawn from across 1 Brigade, 17 Brigade, 8 Division Garrison, 48 Engineering Brigade, and 58 Signals Brigade. And are expected to compete in events such as map reading, swimming, weapon handling, drills, and races.
Addressing the participants, the GOC said the competition is designed to sharpen the skills and competence of troops in line with the Nigerian Army’s 2025 training calendar.
He described the training as a key pillar of the Chief of Army Staff’s command philosophy, which is focused on ‘consolidating the transformation of the Nigerian Army into a well-motivated and combat-ready force capable of effectively discharging its constitutional responsibilities in a joint and multi-agency environment’.
“I wish to state clearly to the participants that, as our dear country continues to face a myriad of security challenges compounded by the asymmetric nature and dynamic disposition of these threats, our conventional roles as junior leaders underscore the need for us to come together and train together,” he added.
He urged the participants to take full advantage of the competition and remain focused on the objectives for which it was organized.
