President Bola Tinubu has endorsed the Nigerian Army’s shift from static defence to more mobile offensive operations under the leadership of the Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant-General Waidi Shaibu.
Tinubu said the shift was part of a broader military reform agenda aimed at strengthening professionalism, adaptability, combat readiness and resilience within the Armed Forces.
The President made this known in the foreword to a book titled The Shaibu Doctrine: Mission Command and the Remaking of Nigeria’s Army at War, co-authored by Dr Muhammed Sani Abubakar and Associate Professor Sunday Adejoh of the Nigerian Defence Academy.
He stressed that the Armed Forces had a responsibility to secure the country and create an enabling environment for democracy and national development.
Tinubu identified professionalism, adaptability, combat readiness and resilience as the four pillars underpinning Shaibu’s command philosophy and guiding the Army’s approach to training, equipment, combat operations and leadership.
The President described the doctrine as a significant departure from military conservatism, highlighting reforms in technology adoption, local production of military equipment, personnel welfare and military ethics.
The book examines Shaibu’s leadership philosophy, with particular emphasis on mission command, troop welfare and decentralised decision-making as strategies for improving operational effectiveness.
One of the co-authors, Dr Abubakar, said his professional interactions with Shaibu began when the Army chief served as Brigade Commander in Bama and continued during his tenure as Theatre Commander of Operation Hadin Kai.
He explained that these experiences provided insights into Shaibu’s management of personnel and resources, as well as his efforts to sustain troop morale in challenging operational environments.
Abubakar said the philosophy was built around five pillars captured by the acronym PROSE: Professional Excellence, Robust Administration, Operational Readiness, Strategic Cooperation and Exemplary Leadership.
He added that the philosophy prioritised a Soldier-First culture, focusing on personnel welfare, morale, training, dignity and empowerment as foundations of combat effectiveness.
The co-author also advocated increased investment in human intelligence, stronger collaboration with credible community actors, improved air support for ground troops and closer coordination between the Nigerian Army and the Nigerian Air Force.
He noted that strengthening Army Aviation and prioritising long-endurance drones would enhance battlefield surveillance, situational awareness and military responses to emerging threats.
Abubakar stressed that Nigeria’s complex security environment, extensive borders and the evolving tactics of armed groups required continuous adaptation of military strategies and capabilities.
