COAS Commissions Airborne School to Boost Special Operations Capability
The Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Waidi Shaibu, has unveiled the Nigerian Army Airborne Training School at Jaji Military Cantonment, Kaduna State, charging its personnel to develop highly skilled and mission-ready troops capable of conducting complex airborne and special operations.
Shaibu gave the charge on Friday, September 25, 2026, during the formal unveiling of the school, describing its establishment as a strategic investment in the Nigerian Army’s capability development and operational readiness.
The Army chief said the changing character of warfare and the increasing sophistication of asymmetric threats required a force that is highly trained, adaptable and capable of operating effectively across diverse and challenging environments.
He emphasised the importance of airborne and special operations capabilities to contemporary military operations, particularly in counter-terrorism, counter-insurgency and other asymmetric security environments.
Shaibu consequently tasked the Commandant and instructors of the new institution to develop and continually refine a rigorous, operationally relevant training curriculum that reflects global best practices while addressing Nigeria’s peculiar and evolving security challenges.
Read Also:
According to him, the school is expected to serve as a centre of excellence for airborne operations, parachuting, air assault and other specialised military skills.
He added that the institution would enhance combat readiness and operational flexibility, while strengthening the Army’s ability to rapidly deploy appropriately trained forces in support of joint and multi-agency operations.
The COAS assured the school of continued support from Army Headquarters through the provision of the necessary infrastructure, equipment and manpower required to effectively discharge its mandate.
He said the initiative was consistent with ongoing efforts to build a more professional, adaptable, combat-ready and resilient Nigerian Army capable of effectively fulfilling its constitutional responsibilities.
Earlier, the Commandant of the Nigerian Army Airborne School, Brigadier General Muhammed Sani Usman, said the institution was upgraded from a wing of the Nigerian Army School of Infantry, Jaji, to a full-fledged school.
Usman explained that the upgrade was driven by the Nigerian Army’s ongoing force development efforts and the need to strengthen specialised capabilities, particularly those required to complement the operational employment of Nigerian Army Aviation.
The establishment of the school is expected to provide a dedicated institutional framework for developing specialised airborne capabilities and improving the Army’s preparedness for rapidly evolving security and operational demands.
By PRNigeria
