The Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lieutenant General Waidi Shaibu, has reaffirmed that robust logistics training and efficient sustainment capabilities are indispensable to the operational success of the Nigeria military and the country’s national security.
Speaking on Friday at the graduation ceremony of participants of the Logistics Staff Officers Course and the Junior Leadership Logistics Staff Officers Course at the Nigerian Army College of Logistics and Management (NACOLM), Lagos, the COAS said no military operation can achieve decisive results without well-trained logistics personnel capable of providing timely, coordinated and sustainable support to troops across all theatres of operation.
He stressed that the evolving nature of contemporary security threats demands logistics officers who are professionally trained, innovative and adaptable to effectively sustain operations within joint and multi-agency environments.
Lieutenant General Shaibu described logistics as more than a support function, calling it a strategic enabler that must be integrated into operational planning from the outset. According to him, effective logistics planning strengthens combat power, improves troop mobility, ensures force sustainment, enhances equipment serviceability, provides medical support and promotes efficient resource utilisation.
He noted that the Nigeria military’s ongoing operations against terrorists, insurgents, kidnappers, bandits and other criminal elements have further highlighted the importance of sound logistics planning and professional competence in sustaining operational momentum and achieving mission objectives.
Addressing the graduating officers, the Army Chief urged them to deploy the knowledge, leadership qualities and professional skills acquired during the courses to improve logistics planning and operational sustainment in their various formations and units.
He reminded them that the combat effectiveness of any military depends largely on the quality of its logistics support, warning that, “An Army that fails to plan its logistics has already failed in its mission.”
The COAS also charged the officers to uphold professionalism, innovation and accountability in managing military resources, noting that efficient logistics not only sustains operational tempo but also improves troop welfare, boosts morale, preserves combat capability and contributes significantly to national security.
Lieutenant General Shaibu commended the Commandant, directing staff and instructors of NACOLM for sustaining high training standards and producing competent logistics professionals capable of meeting the demands of modern warfare.
He reaffirmed Army Headquarters’ commitment to strengthening institutional capacity through sustained investment in professional military education, infrastructure, technology and logistics capabilities in line with his command philosophy of building a more professional, adaptive, combat-ready and resilient Nigeria military.
Earlier, the Commandant of NACOLM, Major General Adewale Adetoba, said the College had reviewed its curriculum to reflect the realities of modern warfare and the requirements of joint and multi-agency operations.
He expressed confidence that the graduating officers had acquired the knowledge and practical skills needed to enhance operational planning, logistics support and force sustainment, thereby improving the operational effectiveness of the Nigeria military in safeguarding the nation’s peace, security and territorial integrity.
