Legal Officers Indispensable to Military Operations, Decision-Making — COAS

By Idris Umar, Zaria The Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lt. Gen. Waidi Shaibu, has described legal officers as indispensable partne...

By Idris Umar, Zaria

The Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lt. Gen. Waidi Shaibu, has described legal officers as indispensable partners in operational planning, execution and decision-making, saying their role is critical to ensuring that military objectives are achieved within the bounds of the law.

The COAS stated this on Monday at the 2026 Training Workshop organised by the Nigerian Army School of Legal Services at the Lt. Gen. Abdulrahman Dambazau Auditorium, Basawa, Zaria.

Represented by the Commandant, Nigerian Army School of Infantry, Maj. Gen. Muhammad Nura Inuwa, the Army Chief said the workshop was designed to deepen participants’ understanding of the legal framework governing military operations and strengthen their capacity to provide sound legal guidance in support of commanders at all levels.

He said the contemporary security environment continued to present dynamic and multifaceted threats that demanded not only operational excellence but also unwavering adherence to the Constitution, extant laws, applicable international legal obligations and established rules of engagement.

According to him, this aligned with his command philosophy of transforming the Nigerian Army into a more professional, adaptive, combat-ready and resilient force capable of decisively discharging its constitutional responsibilities within a joint and multi-agency environment.

The COAS expressed confidence that the knowledge and insights gained during the workshop would further enhance operational effectiveness, reinforce military discipline and strengthen public confidence in the professionalism of the Nigerian Army.

«“As we continue to confront the nation’s security challenges, it is imperative that our operations are conducted with the highest standards of professionalism, accountability and respect for the rule of law,” he said.»

The workshop had as its theme, “Combating Insecurity in Nigeria: The Role of Law in Ensuring Operational Efficiency.”

Delivering the keynote address, the Chief of Training, Nigerian Army, Maj. Gen. V. U. Okoro, who was represented by the Commandant, Depot Nigerian Army, Brig. Gen. Usman Ahmad, described insecurity as one of the greatest threats to Nigeria’s peace and development.

Gen. Okoro said the Nigerian Armed Forces, in collaboration with other security agencies, had made remarkable strides in ensuring a safer nation for all.

He noted that the impact of insecurity was felt not only on the battlefield but also in communities, worship centres and homes.

According to him, combating insecurity was a battle that required the collective efforts of all stakeholders, including the government, security agencies, the judiciary, civil society and Nigerians in general.

The Chief of Training described the Nigerian Armed Forces as a key pillar of the nation’s security architecture, saying the military had remained at the forefront of efforts to combat insecurity and ensure that Nigerians could live in peace and safety.

He expressed confidence that the training workshop would be of immense benefit to participants by promoting greater proactiveness and cooperation between legal officers and commanders.

Earlier in his welcome address, the Acting Director, Legal Services (Army), Col. S. O. Okebukola, described the workshop as a deliberate investment in the intellectual and operational readiness of legal officers, who, he said, served as guardians of discipline and legitimacy in the conduct of military operations.

He thanked the Chief of Army Staff for approving the workshop and for his continued support to the Army Legal Services Directorate, assuring that the directorate would not take the gesture for granted.

Col. Okebukola said the rule of law was critical to the success of both kinetic and non-kinetic operations.

He added that the theme of the workshop was aligned with the COAS’s command philosophy of advancing a transformed Nigerian Army into a more professional, adaptive, combat-ready and resilient force capable of decisively discharging its constitutional responsibilities within a joint and multi-agency environment.

He reiterated that legal officers were central to achieving operational efficiency through professionalism, adherence to military doctrine and the highest ethical standards.

“To achieve this, legal officers must abide by legal rules and rules of engagement,” he said.