More than 500 officers and soldiers are participating in the Nigerian Army Small Arms Championship (NASAC), with contingents drawn from the Army’s 1, 2, 3, 6, 8, 81 and 82 Divisions, the Four Special Forces Command, Army Headquarters Garrison and the Nigerian Army Women Command.

The Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lieutenant General Waidi Shaibu said the Championship provides an opportunity to assess troops’ proficiency in weapon handling, sharpen marksmanship skills and strengthen operational readiness.

Shaibu, represented by the Commander, Training and Doctrine Command, Major General Peter Malla, stated this while declaring open the 2026 edition of the championship in Ajilete, Owode, Ogun State.

He said the competition aligned with operational readiness, a key pillar of his command philosophy, stressing that the effectiveness of a fighting force depended not only on the availability of weapons but also on the competence, confidence and discipline of personnel handling them.

“The central purpose of this event directs our attention to an enduring operational reality: the effectiveness of any fighting force depends not only on the availability of weapons but also on the competence, confidence and discipline of the personnel who employ them,” he said.

The Army chief said the championship was designed to reinforce the importance of marksmanship and proficient weapon handling as essential attributes of a combat-ready force.

He added that the exercise went beyond the pursuit of trophies, expressing hope that lessons from the competition would translate into practical improvements in training and operational performance across the Army’s theatres of operation.

Shaibu said the competition also provided an opportunity to assess existing training standards, identify areas requiring improvement and promote healthy rivalry, teamwork and camaraderie among Army formations.

He stressed that operational plans could only achieve their objectives when personnel possessed the skills, confidence and discipline required to use their weapons accurately and decisively.

Earlier, the Chief of Training (Army), Major General Valentine Okoro, reaffirmed the Department of Army Training’s commitment to implementing realistic and effective training programmes across Nigerian Army formations.