The Nigerian Army has commenced the 2026 Senior Staff Course Qualifying Examination (SSCQE) for 274 officers at Jaji Military Cantonment, Kaduna. The examination, conducted at the Headquarters Infantry Corps Centre, Jaji, is a major requirement for admission into the Senior Command and Staff Course.

Addressing the participants at the commencement of the examination on Sunday in Jaji, the commander of the Training and Doctrine Command of the Nigerian Army, Peter Malla, urged the candidates to remain focused, confident and committed to maintaining the highest standards of integrity throughout the five-day exercise.

Mr Malla, who is the president of the examination board, said the examination was crucial to the career progression of the candidates and an important requirement for attending the Senior Command and Staff Course.

The commander said the examination was being conducted in line with the current syllabus approved by the Nigerian Army, with emphasis on subjects designed to enhance military leadership and professional competence.

Mr Malla said the ongoing transformation in the Nigerian Army, particularly in professional military education, requires candidates to demonstrate a high level of competence. He expressed optimism that the candidates would perform excellently, adding that he expected nothing short of a 100 per cent pass rate.

The examination president also charged members of the directing staff to remain objective and professional in their assessments and strictly adhere to the rules and regulations governing the examination. He urged the candidates to uphold discipline and integrity in line with the core values of the army.

Mr Malla assured the candidates that the assessment would be objective, transparent and accountable, while urging them to perform their best. He warned that any form of examination malpractice would attract disqualification and possible prosecution in accordance with the Nigerian Army Charter for Promotion Examinations (Revised) 2022 and the Armed Forces Act, CAP A20, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004.

The commander said the chief of army staff would sustain the practice of rewarding the first, second and third best overall candidates with Certificates of Excellence, Letters of Commendation and cash gifts.

He added that best performers in individual subjects would also be rewarded in line with the Chief of Army Staff’s Command Philosophy of rewarding excellence and sanctioning incompetence.

The commander, Infantry Corps, Godwin Mutkut, welcomed the candidates to Jaji and assured them that necessary arrangements had been made for a smooth conduct of the five-day exercise.

(NAN)