The Chief of Army Staff, Lt.-Gen. Olufemi Oluyede, has charged warrant officers to bridge the gap between commissioned officers and the enlisted cadre.

Mr Oluyede gave the charge at the graduation ceremony of the Warrant Officer’s Academy Course 44 on Friday at the Jaji Military Cantonment, Kaduna State.

The COAS, represented by the Commandant, Nigerian Army School of Infantry, Maj.-Gen. Oluyemi Olatoye, congratulated the graduands for successfully completing their 22-week training.

He emphasized the importance of the academy in developing the capacity of warrant officers and senior non-commissioned officers.

The COAS also acknowledged the participation of students from the Republic of Liberia and the Gambia, which would strengthen inter-service collaboration and diplomatic ties.

Mr Oluyede said, “Indeed, the Nigerian Armed Forces have identified that warrant officers and SNCOS have very critical roles to play in command and leadership positions. Consequently, the establishment of the warrant officers’ academy was deliberate to address the challenges of junior leadership. This is crucial for the overall decision making of a unit or formation especially at this period when the country faces diverse security challenges.”

He charged the graduates to employ the knowledge and skills acquired during the course to project their leadership and managerial capabilities for the benefit of the Nigerian Army and the Armed Forces.

The COAS commended the commandant and instructors of the academy for their commitment to the successful conduct of the course.

Mr Oluyede expressed gratitude to President Bola Tinubu for his support to the Nigerian Army and by extension the Armed Forces.

He said, “This has been morally reinvigorating to our resolve to reposition the military for effective service delivery.”

Earlier in his remarks, the Commandant of the Academy, Brig.-Gen. Auwal Mahmuda, said the course had 79 students.

They included 75 Nigerian Army personnel, 2 Nigerian Air Force personnel, and 2 allied students from Liberia and the Gambia.

Mr Mahmuda, however, said one student was withdrawn due to disciplinary issues.

He said the graduating students had been equipped with skills to effectively carry out leadership roles in the Armed Forces.

Mr Mahmuda encouraged them to continue developing themselves and make beneficial use of the skills acquired.

He said, “The academy aims to continually improve its instructional and training curriculum to address junior leadership challenges and security issues in Nigeria.”

The commandant thanked the commanders and commandants of Nigerian Army Units and Schools for their support and the staff members of the academy for their immense contributions throughout the course.

(NAN)