The General Officer Commanding, 2 Division, Nigerian Army, Ibadan, Maj. Gen. Auwalu Mahmuda, has charged officers and men to remain tactically and operationally ahead of adversaries in the face of evolving security threats.
Mahmuda gave the charge on Friday while speaking 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 said continuous training and healthy competition were essential to improving the combat readiness and effectiveness of personnel.
He said, “As the Nigerian Army remains a key stakeholder in tackling the security challenges facing our dear country, personnel must train continuously in order to remain ahead of adversaries at all times.
“As it is often said, we sweat more in peacetime through training and bleed less in war. The essence of this competition is to test our readiness and ensure that our officers and men are always prepared to confront any adversary.”
Mahmuda said the competition was designed to develop leadership and organisational skills, endurance, cooperation, initiative and other operational capabilities among young officers.
He commended the participating formations for their resilience, professionalism, sportsmanship and commitment throughout the competition, while calling for stronger collaboration among security agencies and other critical stakeholders.
The GOC also appreciated the Ondo State Governor, Lucky Aiyedatiwa, and heads of security agencies in the state for their support, urging Army formations to sustain the tempo of training to enhance operational readiness.
Five formations participated in the competition, including the 32 Artillery Brigade, Akure; 42 Division Engineers, Ibadan; 12 Brigade, Lokoja; 2 Division Garrison, Ibadan; and 4 Brigade, Benin. The participants competed in tug of war, swimming, weapon handling, shooting, endurance run and obstacle crossing.
At the end of the competition, the 32 Artillery Brigade, Akure, emerged overall winner, while 4 Brigade, Benin, and 12 Brigade, Lokoja, came second and third respectively. The 42 Division Engineers, Ibadan, placed fourth, while 2 Division Garrison, Ibadan, finished fifth.
Mahmuda presented trophies, certificates and cash prizes to the top three formations and urged all units to sustain regular training to improve their operational effectiveness.
Representatives of the Police, Nigeria Immigration Service, Federal Road Safety Corps, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, Nigerian Correctional Service, Nigeria Customs Service and the Chairman of Akure South Local Government Area, Gbenga Fasua, attended the event.