By Shafa’atu Suleiman, Sokoto
The Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lieutenant General Olufemi Oluyede, has charged army commanders at all levels to come up with innovative ideas that will enhance their approaches to man-management and battle readiness.
The COAS made the statement on Thursday in Sokoto during the Army Headquarters Department of Army Transformation and Innovation (AHQ DATI) Seminar on Lessons Learned Processes and Feedback Mechanism.
The seminar was organised to enhance troops’ knowledge on extracting, collating, and analysing lessons in order to avoid past mistakes while improving operational outcomes, especially in the Northwest.
In his opening remarks, the COAS said lessons learned should continually be identified and applied in the daily planning processes of the Nigerian Army to reduce human casualties and operational costs.
Represented by the Chief of Transformation and Innovation of the Army, Major General Olusegun Samson Abai, the COAS said the sensitisation visit aimed to rekindle critical thinking skills among all army commanders, particularly junior officers, through creativity and enhancing their capacity to draw lessons from their operational engagements and other activities in the Army.
“This is in line with my command philosophy for the Nigerian Army to consolidate the transformation of the NA towards bequeathing a well-motivated and combat-ready force that can effectively discharge its constitutional responsibility within a joint and multi-agency environment.”
He commended the AHQ DATI for organising the event, saying it would equip the junior and middle cadre leaders of the Nigerian Army with a better understanding of the methodology of extracting lessons and the continuous awareness required to deal with drug and substance abuse, as well as “raise the necessary operational and situational awareness of the troops.”
Also speaking, the Chief of Transformation and Innovation of the Army, Major General Olusegun Samson Abai, who was represented by the Deputy Director of Training and Examination Analysis, AHQ DATI, Brigadier General Olayinka, said the AHQ DATI would continue to guide and respond to troops of the division towards identifying and improving on lessons gained from operational and administrative schedules.
He said the seminar would improve the behavioural and psychological mindset of the troops against the backdrop of operational challenges.
Abai urged the participants to utilise the knowledge acquired from the seminar to strengthen and better position the Nigerian Army.