ENUGU, Nigeria (VOICE OF NAIJA)- The Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Waidi Shaibu, has challenged military strategists to develop innovative and practical solutions to Nigeria’s worsening kidnapping crisis, describing mass abductions as one of the country’s most complex and evolving security threats.
Shaibu gave the charge on Thursday in Abuja during the inauguration of the Army War College Nigeria’s Wargaming Centre, where he tasked military planners and researchers to deploy strategic analysis and wargaming tools to address the growing menace of kidnappings across the country.
The army chief said the persistent wave of mass abductions, particularly in rural communities and forested areas, has continued to generate fear among citizens and discourage many parents from sending their children to school.
“One of the critical tasks I would like to leave with the college is how this wargaming can help address multiple mass abductions across our expansive forested areas.
“This is an evolving security challenge in Nigeria,” Shaibu said.
According to him, the scale and nature of the kidnapping crisis require solutions that go beyond conventional military responses.
He urged the Army War College Nigeria to conduct detailed studies on how proposed state policing structures could influence security decision-making, operational effectiveness and emergency response mechanisms across the country.
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The COAS also called for deeper examination of ways to improve inter-agency collaboration to ensure faster and more coordinated responses to kidnapping incidents.
“When we talk about rapid response, we must consider the assets required and how decisions are made at the strategic level.
“Test those options and bring forward solutions,” he said.
Shaibu expressed confidence in the capacity of the Army War College to generate actionable recommendations that could strengthen national security architecture and support ongoing efforts to tackle insecurity.
He described wargaming as an indispensable tool for analysing complex operational challenges, evaluating possible courses of action and anticipating the likely reactions of adversaries before deploying personnel and resources.
According to him, the newly inaugurated Wargaming Centre will support military education, operational research, strategic analysis, concept development and decision-making processes within the Nigerian Army.
He further urged the institution to transform the facility into a centre of excellence for operational and strategic wargaming, not only in Nigeria but across the African continent.
Earlier, the Commandant of the Army War College Nigeria, Maj. Gen. Umar Alkali, described the inauguration of the centre as a major milestone in advancing professional military education and leadership development.
Alkali said the facility would help nurture military leaders equipped with critical thinking skills, operational planning expertise and effective decision-making capabilities needed to operate in increasingly complex security environments.
Also speaking, the Director of War and Strategy at the college, Brig. Gen. Eyitayo Shoda, said the centre was designed to provide a structured environment for testing ideas, evaluating strategies and challenging assumptions before implementation.
Shoda disclosed that the college had already developed indigenous wargaming models tailored to Nigeria’s security realities, including counterterrorism, counterinsurgency, joint military operations and other national security scenarios.
The initiative, according to military authorities, is expected to enhance strategic planning and strengthen the country’s response to emerging security threats, particularly the growing challenge of mass abductions and organised criminal activities.