Nigerian Army Urges Officers To Match Strength With Strategy, Flags Off Operational Planning Cadre In Ibadan
•By KAZEEM OYENIYI
IBADAN – THE Nigerian Army’s 2 Division Headquarters has flagged off its 2025 Operational Planning Cadre for middle cadre officers at the Headquarters Auditorium, Adekunle Fajuyi Cantonment, Ibadan, with a charge to officers to combine physical strength with intellectual strategy in tackling contemporary security challenges.
This year’s cadre, themed “Enhancing Operational Efficiency through Effective Planning and Leadership,” seeks to sharpen the capacity of officers in designing and executing plans that directly impact mission success.
Declaring the programme open, the General Officer Commanding (GOC) 2 Division, Major General Chinedu Nnebeife, welcomed participants and underscored the importance of foresight, deliberate planning, and informed execution in military operations.
He commended the Chief Of Army Staff (COAS), Lieutenant General Olufemi Oluyede, for his continuous support and provision of resources to conduct the training.
“The success of every military campaign is deeply rooted in foresight, careful planning, and deliberate execution. The contemporary security challenges bedevilling our dear nation today demand not just physical strength accentuated by courage, but the application of intellectual expertise matched with unparalleled leadership abilities,” Maj. Gen. Nnebeife said.
He noted that the cadre was specifically designed to refresh officers’ knowledge of operational planning principles, while also equipping them with modern analytical skills and a shared understanding of today’s multi-dimensional battlespace.
According to him, middle-level officers serve as the critical link between strategic leaders and tactical operatives, making their roles crucial in translating vision into action.
“The operational plans you draft or formulate have a direct correlation with the end-state of every mission objective. Hence, the success or otherwise of any operation depends largely on your ability to read the battlefield environment and apply yourselves adequately,” he told the participants.
The GOC further highlighted the diverse nature of modern military engagements, ranging from counter-insurgency, counter-terrorism, and anti-banditry operations to civil-military cooperation and peacekeeping missions.
He said the week-long programme would include planning exercises, doctrinal reviews, and scenario-based simulations to sharpen officers’ capacity for effective decision-making in volatile and complex environments.
“Leadership in the 21st-century military is not just about commanding troops but about making informed decisions in volatile, uncertain, complex, and ambiguous environments. Your ability to translate broad strategic objectives into actionable plans that your men could easily execute with clarity and confidence also reflects on your leadership,” he added.
Maj. Gen. Nnebeife urged participants to engage resource persons drawn from Nigerian Army training institutions, the Nigerian Air Force, and the Department of State Services (DSS), stressing the importance of discipline, seriousness, and open-mindedness throughout the cadre.
He also commended the officers and soldiers of 2 Division for their dedication in organizing the programme, while reiterating appreciation to the Chief of Training and Army Headquarters for their guidance and support.
The 2025 Operational Planning Cadre, which runs from September 8 to 12, is expected to build the competence of middle cadre officers in aligning military strength with strategic foresight, thereby enhancing the operational efficiency of the Nigerian Army.