When President Bola Ahmed Tinubu appointed Lieutenant General Waidi Shaibu as the 25th Chief of Army Staff on October 30, 2025, it was a well-deserved appointment. A seasoned officer with an operational record spanning counter-insurgency campaigns against Boko Haram and ISWAP, including deployments in the Lake Chad region and Sambisa Forest, he also holds several decorations, including the Purple Heart Medal for gallantry. So upon assumption of office, he set out a clear command philosophy: to transform the Nigerian Army into a more professional, adaptable, combat-ready and resilient force capable of decisively discharging its constitutional responsibilities within a joint and multi-agency environment. Built on the pillars of professional excellence, robust administration, operational readiness, strategic cooperation and exemplary leadership, this vision has continued to shape the Army’s response to Nigeria’s evolving security challenges. Over the weekend, at a media executives’ chat on the sidelines of the 163rd Nigerian Army Day Celebration (NADCEL), moderated by Chiemelie Ezeobi, the army chief reflected on the progress made so far under his leadership, highlighting operational successes, force modernisation, troop welfare, manpower development and strengthened civil-military relations, while reaffirming the Nigerian Army’s commitment to safeguarding the nation’s sovereignty and territorial integrity
Lieutenant General Waidi Shaibu: Advancing a More Professional, Adaptable, Combat-ready and Resilient Nigerian Army
When President Bola Ahmed Tinubu appointed Lieutenant General Waidi Shaibu as the 25th Chief of Army Staff on October 30, 2025, it was a well-deserved appointment. A seasoned officer with an operational record spanning counter-insurgency campaigns against Boko Haram and ISWAP, including deployments in the Lake Chad region and Sambisa Forest, he also holds several decorations, including the Purple Heart Medal for gallantry. So upon assumption of office, he set out a clear command philosophy: to transform the Nigerian Army into a more professional, adaptable, combat-ready and resilient force capable of decisively discharging its constitutional responsibilities within a joint and multi-agency environment. Built on the pillars of professional excellence, robust administration, operational readiness, strategic cooperation and exemplary leadership, this vision has continued to shape the Army’s response to Nigeria’s evolving security challenges. Over the weekend, at a media executives’ chat on the sidelines of the 163rd Nigerian Army Day Celebration (NADCEL), moderated by Chiemelie Ezeobi, the army chief reflected on the progress made so far under his leadership, highlighting operational successes, force modernisation, troop welfare, manpower development and strengthened civil-military relations, while reaffirming the Nigerian Army’s commitment to safeguarding the nation’s sovereignty and territorial integrity
