The Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lt. Gen. Taoreed Abiodun Lagbaja, has said that the training of officers and men of the Nigerian Armed Forces are paramount to his administration.

Gen. Lagbaja stated this at the graduation ceremony of Logistics Management Course 21/23 of the Nigerian Army College of Logistics And Management, Ojo, Lagos on Friday.

Gen. Lagbaja stated this at the graduation ceremony of *Logistics Management Course 21/23*

The COAS, who was ably represented by the Corps Commander Ordnance, Major General Jonathan Ugwuoke, where he was the Special Guest of honour, said that the training was coming at a time the force wanted to reposition the college to train many junior and middle cadre officers.

“I am aware that the graduating students, who were assembled in July 2023, comprises 29 Nigerian Army officers and one officer from Gambia. I want to congratulate the officer from the Gambian Army as the completion will further cement the relationship between the Nigerian government and the government of Gambia.

“We want to increase the strength of army officers as this is crucial to the success of our military operations. We want to increase the officers that are likely to occupy the positions of the Deputy Chief of Staff Logistics. I therefore urge the College to continue to make the school great and they should not rest on their oars. The issue of training is aptly captured in my vision for the Nigerian army to train highly motivated officers to perform their duties within the confines of the law.

“I am happy with the level of successes recorded by the troops involved in various operations in the country; this is a product of our constant training programmes. I urge the college to concentrate on training our officers to be able to fight insecurity in the country. I am aware of your challenges, I am promising that these would be addressed within the limited available resources,” he said.

The COAS promised that in no time, the issue of inadequate offices and accommodation in the college would soon be a thing of the past.

He then thanked the President of Nigeria and Commander in Chief of the Nigerian Armed Forces, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, for his support for the Nigerian Army.

Earlier in his welcome address, the Acting Commandant of the College, Brigadier General Wisdom Etuk, said that the presence of Corps Commanders, members of the College Governing Board and past commandants of the college is an indication of how they love the college.

Etuk described the event as a milestone from June 2003, when the College was established, saying that the college has since been offering adequate training to officers.

“Our scope was recently expanded to handle medium and middle cadre officers. We will continue to do the task. The graduands comprises 30 officers assembled in July this year and they are all graduating today. We have a trainee from Gambia. It has been 19 weeks of thorough training.

“We thank the Chief of Army Staff for his unflinching support for the college. We are undergoing some infrastructure development that will help us sustain our world class professional services.

“I assure you that the students have been adequately equipped for the job. I want to implore the students to demonstrate high degree of competence in the job and I wish them the best in their careers. I thank their spouses for keeping the home front in their absence,” he said.

The Commandant used the opportunity to thank thanked the Almighty God and the Chief of Army Staff for his untiring support for the college as well as all his predecessors for laying a solid foundation for the college.

Highlights of Logistics Management Course 21/23 was given by the Acting Deputy Commandant/Director of Studies of the College, Brigadier General J.B Manjang, who reiterated that the 30 students, comprising Lt. Colonels and Majors were assembled on July 28, 2023, and that they were all graduating with a foreign student, Major Lamin Njie from Gambia.

“They undertook Computer and English Language proficient test and they all passed. Training started on July 30 and they were taken on logistics, logistics function, Nigerian Army Maintenance, logistics support and others.

“The courses were taken by military officers and some other lecturers. They were taken on computer training, public speaking and other training with the facilities. There was a training programme tour in Edo State on how civil/military partnership could yield civilian/military partnership in Edo State.

“They were exposed to support areas in the field. There was an exercise in Papalanto in Ogun State. They had industrial attachment in organisations in Lagos and Ogun States, the first of its kind in the school,” he said.

He added that the students were exposed to Conflict Management and Resolution workshop, and that there was exercise livewire from September 18 to 21, 2023 in Ajilete area of Ogun State.

Certificates were presented to the students by the representatives of the Special Guest of Honour.

Awards were later given to deserving students of the College. These include award for Peace Support Department Award, sponsored by Corps Commander Ordinance, which was given to Major Kingsley Adin from Infantry Corps.

There was also Logistics Planning Department Award, sponsored by Corps Commander Transport, which was won by Major Dickson Obonyano from Transport.

Military and Information Technology Department Award, sponsored by Corps Commander Electrical and Mechanical Engineering, was won by Major Auwal Ilyah from the Nigeria Army Ordnance Corps.

Tactics Department Award, sponsored by General Officer Commanding 81 Division Nigerian Army, was won by Major Abdulrasak Useni of the Nigerian Army Armoured Corps.

General Studies Department Award, sponsored by Corps Commander Medical, Best Commandant Paper and Best All Round Student Award, sponsored by Brigadier Gen. Etuk, Commandant of School of Logistics Management, and Best All Round Student Award by Chief of Logistics of the Nigerian Army, were all won by Major Abdulrasak Useni of the Nigerian Army Armoured Corps.