DHQ to Deploy 800 Special Forces to Counter Nationwide Insecurity
The Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), General Christopher Musa, has announced that the Defence Headquarters will deploy over 800 specially trained troops to critical operational zones across the country to address mounting security challenges.
General Musa disclosed this on Wednesday at the Defence Training Seminar held in Abuja, where he said the newly trained special forces have undergone intensive and comprehensive preparation to tackle emerging security threats effectively.
“This coming week, we will be graduating the first batch of 800 special forces. Their training has been very thorough. We’ve also learned that fragmenting deployment weakens our effectiveness, so this time, we’ll send them as a cohesive unit — a force that understands itself,” the CDS stated.
The move comes amid a resurgence of violence in states like Benue, Plateau, and Borno, where recent attacks have triggered renewed military and security interventions aimed at restoring peace and stability.
Speaking on the theme of the seminar, “Performance-Oriented Training and Trends in Contemporary Operating Environment,” General Musa emphasized that the conference forms part of ongoing efforts to build a combat-ready, professional military force capable of operating in today’s dynamic threat environment.
“Our goal is to establish a unified, adaptable, and technologically driven training system. We are expanding joint training programs, conducting doctrinal reviews, enhancing performance simulations, and encouraging operational synergy among all services,” he said.
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He also highlighted the need for the Armed Forces to rapidly integrate advanced technologies such as artificial intelligence, autonomous systems, modern surveillance tools, and electronic cyber warfare capabilities, while stressing the importance of understanding the enemy to anticipate future threats.
In his remarks, the Minister of Defence, Mohammed Badaru, called on the military to ensure that all troop training aligns with Nigeria’s broader national security strategy. He stressed that addressing the country’s evolving threats demands forward-thinking approaches, real-time adaptation, and stronger inter-agency coordination.
Badaru described the seminar’s theme as timely, saying, “The strength of any military is not just in its equipment or personnel but in the relevance and sustainability of its training.”
He added, “We must now prioritize performance-based training that reflects real-world complexities and prepares our troops not just for the threats of today, but for the uncertainties of tomorrow.”
Reaffirming the federal government’s support for the armed forces, the minister disclosed ongoing efforts to revamp the national defence training architecture. These include aligning training with strategic defence objectives, upgrading infrastructure, fostering international partnerships, and modernizing military doctrine and simulation methods.
“No single service can secure the nation alone,” Badaru concluded. “Joint and combined training exercises are critical to ensuring a coordinated and unified defence posture.”
by PRNigeria
