By Ado Oyeyemi
The General Officer Commanding, 2 Division, Nigerian Army, Ibadan, Maj. Gen. Auwalu Mahmuda, has charged officers and soldiers to maintain tactical and operational superiority over adversaries as the country battles evolving security threats.
Mahmuda gave the charge on Friday at the closing ceremony of the 2026 Inter-Brigade Combat Proficiency Competition held at the 32 Artillery Brigade, Akure, Ondo State.
Represented by the Commander, 32 Artillery Brigade, Brig. Gen. Muhammed Momoh, the GOC stressed the importance of regular training and competitive exercises in improving the preparedness and combat effectiveness of personnel.
He said continuous training remained essential for troops to stay ahead of emerging threats and effectively respond to security challenges confronting the nation.
Mahmuda noted that the competition was organised to assess the readiness of personnel while strengthening their ability to operate effectively under challenging conditions.
He said, “The Nigerian Army remains a key stakeholder in addressing the security challenges facing the country, and our personnel must train continuously to remain ahead of adversaries.
“We sweat more during peacetime through training so that we bleed less during war.
The essence of this competition is to assess our preparedness and ensure that our officers and men remain ready to confront any adversary.”
The GOC commended the participating formations for their resilience, professionalism, discipline and sportsmanship throughout the competition.
He explained that the exercise was also designed to develop leadership qualities, organisational skills, endurance, teamwork, cooperation and initiative among young officers.
Mahmuda called for stronger collaboration among security agencies and other critical stakeholders in the fight against insecurity.
He also appreciated the Ondo State Governor, Lucky Aiyedatiwa, as well as heads of security agencies in the state, for their support towards the success of the exercise.
Five formations participated in the competition. They were the 32 Artillery Brigade, Akure; 42 Division Engineers, Ibadan; 12 Brigade, Lokoja; 2 Division Garrison, Ibadan; and 4 Brigade, Benin.
The participants competed in various military activities, including tug of war, swimming, weapon handling, shooting, endurance race and obstacle crossing.
At the end of the competition, the 32 Artillery Brigade, Akure, emerged overall winner, while 4 Brigade, Benin, finished second and 12 Brigade, Lokoja, placed third.
The 42 Division Engineers, Ibadan, came fourth, while 2 Division Garrison, Ibadan, occupied the fifth position.
Mahmuda presented trophies, certificates and cash prizes to the top three formations and urged all units within the division to sustain regular training in order to strengthen their operational readiness.
Representatives of various security and para-military agencies attended the ceremony, including the Nigeria Immigration Service, Nigeria Police Force, Federal Road Safety Corps, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, Nigerian Correctional Service and Nigeria Customs Service.
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Also present was the Chairman of Akure South Local Government Area, Gbenga Fasua.
