Buratai Commissions Ultra-Modern Army War College Permanent Site; Says it’s a Regional Centre of Excellence.

The Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lt. Gen. Tukur Yusuf Buratai on Tuesday commissioned the new Army War College Nigeria Complex situated in Mabilla barracks, Abuja.

Buratai stated that the establishment of the AWCN is basically to develop the capacities of the Nigerian Army officers at an operational level and to improve strategic competence because the operational level of the Army remains the bridge between tactical and the strategic level.

He said the changes in the nature of threats and technological advancements have further increased the complexity and unpredictability of modern warfare.

 “Hence it is important that the Army build necessary intellectual capacity to operate in such an environment that is volatile, uncertain, complex and ambiguous”.

He described the Army War college as a regional center of excellence that would give Professional Military Education to middle cadre off officers as well as provide an opportunity for them to strategize on approaches to confront most of the security challenges in Nigeria today.

“The college is a Military Laboratory for the Nigerian Army to generate operational strategies and propose workable courses of action”, he added.

The new Army War College Nigeria which construction started on the 17th of December 2017 consists of 3 floors made up of 29 offices, 8 syndicate rooms, a library, a conference room, a lecture theater a foyer, a control room, a world gaming center, a student complex as well as fifteen toilet facilities.

Each office is well furnished and have an adequate air conditioning system, all offices has wired/wireless facilities for internet connectivity, telephone systems and work stations.

The syndicate rooms have a capacity of 12 to 16 and each room has CCTV, projectors and public address systems.

While acknowledging the efforts of those involved in nurturing the idea of establishing the idea of the college, the Chief of Army Staff appreciated the Commander in chief, President Muhammadu Buhari and the Minister of Defense as well as the Chief of Defense Staff for bringing the idea to a reality.

He said “I wish to enjoin prospective officers of AWCN to utilize the opportunities in the College in improving their individual and collective capacities towards a better understanding of the challenges of managing asymmetric security challenges in the 21st century.”

He charged officers and soldiers to continue to remain apolitical and loyal to the Federal republic of Nigeria and that any attempt to politicize the Army will be resisted with defaulters severely dealt with.

Continuing Buratai said, “The commissioning of this citadel of learning is an important event in the calendar of the Nigerian Army as part of efforts necessary to meet the Nigerian Army operational needs.

“We have carefully designed and painstakingly put in the place structures, equipment, facilities and learning aids that would ensure that our participants get the optimum learning experience from the Socratic environment we have created for them.

“The Nigerian Army is determined to be proactive in dealing with the challenges in the country. The ever changing environment that we live require new mental models which promotes creativity, critical and systems thinking skills, as well as deep understanding of operational art and campaign planning. I am very confident that these strategic skills along with other relevant ones thought at the college will form the fulcrum and flagship of the institution”.

While acknowledging the efforts of those involved in nurturing the idea of establishing the idea of the college, the Chief of Army Staff appreciated the Commander in chief, President Muhammadu Buhari and the Minister of Defense as well as the Chief of Defense Staff for bringing the idea to a reality.

The multi-billion naira edifice was built and completed by the current leadership of the Nigerian Army within a space of four months.

Earlier in his remarks, the Commandant, Army War College Nigeria, Major General John Enenche thanked the Chief of Army Staff for his “unreserved commitments” towards the institution.

Gen. Enenche said the curriculum of the institution is well structured with a focused course content towards the promotion of learning in a conducive environment.