By Oluwatobi Omotosho
The Nigerian Army has announced plans to recruit and train an additional 28,000 soldiers as part of efforts to strengthen its manpower and enhance operations against insecurity across the country.
Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Waidi Shaibu, disclosed this on Friday during a press briefing in Abuja ahead of the 2026 Nigerian Army Day Celebration.
Represented by the Chief of Policy and Plans (Army), Maj. Gen. Bamidele Alabi, Shaibu said the recruitment drive follows the establishment of a new training depot in Amasiri Edda, making it the third institution dedicated to training recruits for the Nigerian Army.
“Manpower is as important as the equipment required to fight insecurity. To this end, we have expanded our recruitment scope by establishing another training depot at Amasiri Edda, making it the third institution to train able-bodied civilians for the Nigerian Army, thereby enhancing our manpower.
“With this action, the Nigerian Army is expected to recruit and train an additional 28,000 troops to help stem the tide of insecurity across the country,” he said.
Shaibu said the Army had also established additional brigades and units while reviewing its force structure to address deployment gaps and respond more effectively to emerging security threats.
“Accordingly, the Nigerian Army has established additional brigades and units to boost our operations, while continuously reviewing our force structure to cover observed gaps in our deployments to address emerging security challenges across the country,” he added.
The Army chief said the service had strengthened its operational capability through the induction of modern equipment, combat enablers and strategic partnerships.
He added that measures had also been institutionalised to recognise gallantry, improve personnel welfare and upgrade infrastructure across military formations nationwide.
Reviewing his administration’s achievements over the past seven months, Shaibu said the Army had recorded significant progress in operations, infrastructure development, manpower expansion, professionalism and civil-military relations.
He said his command philosophy is focused on building “a more professional, adaptable, combat-ready and resilient force capable of decisively discharging its constitutional responsibilities within a joint and multi-agency environment.”
According to him, the vision is anchored on a “Soldier-First” culture that prioritises the welfare of personnel and their families as a key driver of operational effectiveness.
“We are also improving our deployment strategies and employing modern technology as a force multiplier in our efforts to quickly degrade all forms of criminality across the country,” he said.
Shaibu reiterated that troops remain actively engaged in operations nationwide, noting that their efforts had significantly degraded Boko Haram/ISWAP terrorists, bandits, kidnappers, separatist groups and other criminal elements.
He assured Nigerians that the Army would continue to discharge its constitutional responsibilities in line with the rules of engagement and respect for human rights.
The Army chief also announced the commencement of activities marking the 2026 Nigerian Army Day Celebration, themed “Protecting the Nation and Serving the People: A Way Forward for the Nigerian Army.”
He appealed to Nigerians to continue supporting the military and other security agencies in addressing the country’s security challenges.
“I urge all Nigerians to continue to support the Nigerian Army. This Army belongs to you; it is your Army. Let us all demonstrate patriotism and commitment to the ideals of peace and unity for national development,” he said.
Shaibu said the celebration will begin on Friday, June 26, with Juma’at prayers across Army formations nationwide, followed by interdenominational church services on Sunday, June 28.
Other activities include public lectures in secondary schools on July 3, a Nigerian Army Day Celebration lecture and the Chief of Army Staff Literary Competition award ceremony in Port Harcourt on July 4, as well as a media interaction and the Nigerian Army Officers’ Wives Association charity outreach programme.
On July 5, the Army will organise a medical outreach offering free diagnosis and treatment to residents of selected communities in Port Harcourt, alongside the commissioning of several civil-military cooperation projects.
The week-long celebration will culminate on July 6 with a ceremonial parade, presentation of the Chief of Army Staff Commendation Awards, a military equipment display and a research and development exhibition.
The grand finale will also coincide with the African Land Forces Forum 2026, themed “Securing Africa: Advanced Defence, United Efforts,” bringing together African army chiefs, senior military officers, policymakers, defence industry representatives and security experts to promote regional cooperation and strengthen defence collaboration across the continent.
