The Nigerian Army has further enhanced the operational capacity of its personnel through an intensive training programme codenamed Exercise FAST BOLT III, conducted at the Nigerian Army Training Centre (NATRAC), Kontagora, Niger State, on 11 July 2025.
The 21-week programme, undertaken by troops of the Special Operations Battalion designated as Chief of Army Staff (COAS) Intervention Battalion 10, was designed to improve operational competence and mission readiness.
The Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Olufemi Oluyede (NAM, mni), represented by the General Officer Commanding (GOC) 1 Division and Commander, Sector 1 Joint Task Force North-West Operation FANSA YAMMA, Major General Mayirenso Lander Saraso, said the training aligns with his Command Philosophy, which places a high premium on combat readiness, consistency, and standardised mission orientation.
He noted that the exercise had been revitalised, now conducted in a double stream format and extended from three to six months to deepen the troops’ tactical acumen and effectiveness.
The COAS added that the exercise would remain a vital platform for the Nigerian Army to sustain personnel readiness for deployment across various theatres of operations. He also commended the troops for their outstanding performance, stating it affirms the effectiveness of the current training methodology.
In his welcome address, the Commander of NATRAC, Major General John Omolaja Sokoya, congratulated the trainees on their perseverance, resilience, and doggedness. He described the initiative as a mission-oriented training aimed at boosting the operational competence of troops.
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He reaffirmed that NATRAC remains an elite training institution responsible for conducting realistic, mission-specific training across a variety of present and future operations, thereby equipping personnel with essential combat proficiency in line with the COAS’s vision.
Major General Sokoya urged the trainees to apply all they had learnt, adding that the centre would continue to support the Nigerian Army’s commitment to preparing personnel for effective deployment.
He also charged the troops to imbibe the warrior ethos instilled in them during the training.
In a separate development, the event featured a special promotion ceremony for an act of gallantry. Sergeant Joshua Danju of the NATRAC Admin Battalion, who bravely recovered an armoured vehicle and other armaments during an attack at Kwana Dutse under intense gunfire, was decorated with the new rank of Staff Sergeant, as approved by the COAS.
Highlights of the event included a training review, tug of war competition, presentation of certificates, tree planting, and the commissioning of two newly constructed twelve-family Corporal-Below Quarters to help address accommodation challenges at NATRAC.
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