The Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lt-Gen. Waidi Shaibu, has assured Nigerians that the military is committed to restoring stability and curbing terrorism, particularly in the North.
He spoke in Minna, Niger State, at the opening of the 2026 Doctrine and Training Conference of the Nigerian Army, where he said the force was implementing President Bola Tinubu’s directive to address rising insecurity through improved doctrine, training and operational strategies.
Shaibu explained that the annual conference allows the Army to review operations, assess training effectiveness and adapt to increasingly complex security threats.
The Commander of the Doctrine and Training Command (TRADOC), Maj. Gen. Peter Malla, said the event also signalled the formal commencement of the Army’s 2026 training cycle across institutions.
Meanwhile, public policy think-tank Nextier has warned that Nigeria’s recently declared national security emergency may not deliver lasting peace unless supported by reforms such as state policing and the deployment of forest guards.
In an analysis by governance expert Dr Ndidi (Anyanwu) Njoku, the organisation argued that insecurity is now mobile, economically driven and rooted in governance gaps that troop expansion alone cannot fix.
The Institute for Peace and Conflict Resolution also urged stronger collaboration between citizens and security agencies, following renewed attacks in Agwara and Borgu local councils of Niger State that reportedly claimed lives, including children.
The institute described the attacks as desperate moves by bandits and insurgents under pressure from security forces.
Tension rose further after explosives were discovered near Ganaru village in Mashegu Local Council, prompting the deployment of police bomb experts.
Niger State Commissioner of Police, Adamu Elleman, confirmed that one explosive device was found and safely handled, urging residents to remain calm.
Separately, the state government announced that only schools cleared by security agencies in selected urban areas would reopen on January 12.