Former Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Faruk Yahaya (rtd), has called for a total overhaul of Nigeria’s military recruitment and training systems to enhance the Army’s professionalism and operational readiness.

Delivering a keynote lecture during the Nigerian Army Day Celebration (NADCEL) 2025 at the Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA) in Kaduna, Yahaya underscored the urgent need for uncompromising reforms in recruitment, training standards, and performance evaluation protocols.

According to him, courage, vigilance, and unwavering standards must define every phase of a soldier’s journey—from entry into service to active deployment. “Recruitment into the Nigerian Defence Academy and Depot Nigerian Army must be rigorous and devoid of leniency. There is no place for weakness or mediocrity. We must be firm in eliminating unsuitable candidates at every stage,” he emphasized.

Yahaya further highlighted the evolving nature of warfare, noting that modern threats demand a paradigm shift in training approaches. He stressed the need to integrate modules on terrorism, asymmetric warfare, ideological extremism, and cyber threats into the military’s training curriculum.

In addition to conventional tactics, Yahaya advocated for the inclusion of strategic courses such as emotional intelligence, military psychology, counter-terrorism techniques, and digital-age awareness—especially regarding social media influence.

“Comprehensive training will reinforce the ‘soldier-first’ philosophy in the minds of both instructors and recruits. It is critical we align our training focus with the realities of modern warfare,” he said.

He also emphasized the importance of simulation-based learning and hands-on exercises that replicate real-life battlefield conditions. To achieve this, he urged military training institutions across the country to modernize their infrastructure to meet global standards.

Yahaya encouraged stronger collaboration with international military institutions in countries like the United States, United Kingdom, and Pakistan, asserting that such partnerships would accelerate the transfer of tactical knowledge and enhance the technical proficiency of Nigerian personnel.

“We must deepen engagements with allied nations through training exchanges. Our non-commissioned officers should gain wider access to international Junior Command, Regimentation, and Train-the-Trainer courses to improve standards,” he added.

He identified the capacity building of Senior Non-Commissioned Officers (SNCOs) as a strategic necessity, particularly for decentralized operations in high-risk zones like the North East and Lake Chad region.

“Contemporary security threats require agile, small-unit combat operations rather than traditional mass formations. The Army must be able to fight with speed, precision, and flexibility through decentralized command guided by mission command principles,” Yahaya stated.

He noted that strengthening the tactical leadership of SNCOs would help bridge the gap in officer presence, especially in remote operational theaters.

Yahaya concluded by emphasizing that any meaningful reform must remain soldier-centric—focused on the welfare, professionalism, and effectiveness of personnel.

“The future of our Army rests on the soldier—on how well we train, equip, and support him. Let us define our strategic vision clearly and pursue it with consistency and discipline,” he said.

His lecture formed part of the professional engagements marking NADCEL 2025, commemorating the 162nd anniversary of the Nigerian Army’s founding.