The Chief of Army Staff Lieutenant General TA Lagbaja NAM declared open the Nigerian Army Inter-Division Combat Platoon Obstacle Crossing Competition 2024 at 3 Division Obstacle Crossing Ground, Maxwell Khobe Cantonment, Jos on 25 July 2024. The event which brought together troops from the various Divisions of the Nigerian Army is aimed at testing and enhancing the physical and mental capabilities of troops in a competitive atmosphere.

Speaking as the Special Guest of Honour at the event, the Chief of Army Staff Lieutenant General TA Lagbaja NAM represented by the Deputy Chief of Training (Army) Major General MA Etsu-Ndagi emphasized the significance of the competition. He stressed obstacle crossing skills as a major requirement by troops in combat for bolstering effectiveness and professional competence in the field.

The Chief of Army Staff also stated that the competition is in line with his Command Philosophy which is “To transform the Nigerian Army into a well-trained, equipped and highly motivated force towards achieving our Constitutional responsibilities in a joint environment”.

He averred that the competition which is also a training exercise was one of the major pillars in achieving his vision of having a well-prepared and capable military force. He further noted that the commitments of the Nigerian Army in operations across the country might not have given the competing formations sufficient time for adequate training but expressed optimism of a good outing from the participants because the art of obstacle crossing should be second nature to military personnel as professionals.

The Chief of Army Staff also called on all participants to approach the competition with utmost seriousness, interest, and a spirit of camaraderie. He encouraged formations to sustain constant training as is being currently witnessed.

Earlier in his welcome address, the General Officer Commanding (GOC) 3 Division Nigerian Army and Commander OPERATION SAFE HAVEN(OPSH) Major General AE Abubakar reiterated that the competition was designed to enhance the operational readiness of troops under a competitive atmosphere, to test the fitness capability of subalterns and soldiers at the tactical level in navigating both natural and artificial obstacles within the shortest possible time.

The GOC 3 Division/Commander OPSH pointed out that the security challenges in the country were multi-faceted and multi-dimensional in nature, which requires a high level of training, endurance and stamina, hence the need for continuous training of troops.

While emphasizing the need for teamwork and cooperation amongst the participants, he also observed that the competition would focus on testing the operational readiness of the participating formations. He further urged the participants to be good ambassadors of their respective formations and put in their best show and avoid all form of malpractice during the competition.

The GOC 3 Div/Comd OPSH expressed his deep appreciation to the Chief of Army Staff Lieutenant General TA Lagbaja NAM for giving the Division the opportunity to host the competition and also to the organizing committee for ensuring a seamless conduct of the exercise.

Administering oath to the participants and the umpires, the Acting Director Physical Training (Army), Brigadier General Abdulrahaman Bello charged the participants to be guided by the laid down rules of the competition to avoid penalties. He further charged the umpires to ensure fairness and justice to all participants throughout the competition.

The participating formations for the Year 2024 Inter-Division Combat Platoon Obstacle Crossing Competition are 1 Division Kaduna, 2 Division Ibadan, 3 Division Jos, 6 Division Port Harcourt, 81 Division Lagos, 82 Division Enugu, and Army Headquarters Garrison Abuja.

AI DANJA
Maj
Acting Deputy Director
Army Public Relations
3 Division Nigerian Army