Robust Logistics Training Critical to Operational Success, National Security – COAS

The Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lieutenant General Waidi Shaibu, has emphasized that robust logistics training and efficient sustainment capabilities remain indispensable to the operational success of the Nigerian Army 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) in Lagos, the Army Chief said no military operation can achieve decisive success without well-trained logistics personnel capable of delivering timely, coordinated and sustainable support to troops.

According to Lieutenant General Shaibu, the evolving nature of contemporary security threats demands logistics officers who are professionally trained, innovative and adaptable to effectively sustain military operations within joint and multi-agency environments.

He described logistics as a strategic enabler rather than a mere support function, stressing that it must be integrated into operational planning from the outset.

"Effective logistics planning enhances combat power, mobility, force sustainment, equipment serviceability, medical support and resource optimization, all of which are indispensable to achieving mission success," he said.

The COAS noted that the Nigerian Army's ongoing operations against terrorists, insurgents, kidnappers, bandits and other criminal elements continue to demonstrate the critical importance of sound logistics planning and professional competence in sustaining operational momentum and achieving decisive outcomes.

Addressing the graduating officers, Shaibu urged them to deploy the knowledge, leadership skills and professional competencies acquired during the courses to strengthen logistics planning and operational sustainment in their respective formations and units.

He reminded them that an army's combat effectiveness is directly tied to the quality of its logistics support, declaring that "an Army that fails to plan its logistics has already failed in its mission."

The Army Chief also charged the officers to uphold professionalism, innovation and accountability in the management of military resources, noting that efficient logistics enhances troop welfare, boosts morale, preserves combat capability and contributes significantly to national security objectives.

He commended the Commandant, directing staff and instructors of NACOLM for sustaining high training standards and producing logistics professionals capable of meeting the demands of modern warfare.

Shaibu reaffirmed Army Headquarters' commitment to strengthening institutional capacity through sustained investments 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 Nigerian Army.

Earlier, the Commandant of the Nigerian Army College of Logistics and Management, Major General Adewale Adetoba, said the College had reviewed its curriculum to reflect the realities of contemporary warfare and the requirements of joint and multi-agency operations.

He expressed confidence that the graduating officers had acquired the knowledge and practical skills required to improve operational planning, logistics support and force sustainment, thereby enhancing the Nigerian Army's effectiveness in safeguarding Nigeria's peace, security and territorial integrity.