President Bola Tinubu has endorsed the Nigerian Army’s move towards mobile offensive operations under Chief of Army Staff Lt.-Gen. Waidi Shaibu, citing the need for a more adaptable and combat-ready military.
Tinubu’s position was outlined in the foreword to The Shaibu Doctrine: Mission Command and the Remaking of Nigeria’s Army at War, a book co-authored by Muhammed Sani Abubakar and Sunday Adejoh of the Nigerian Defence Academy.
The President said the military’s central responsibility was to protect the country and provide the security needed for democratic governance and development.
He identified professionalism, adaptability, combat readiness and resilience as the principles underpinning Shaibu’s command philosophy, which he said had influenced military training, equipment, operations and leadership.
Tinubu described the transition from static defence to more mobile offensive action as part of broader changes that also encompass technology, locally developed military capabilities, personnel welfare and ethical standards.
The book examines how mission command, which gives subordinate commanders greater authority to make decisions within their responsibilities, could improve operational effectiveness.
Abubakar said his experience working with Shaibu during the latter’s postings as Brigade Commander in Bama and Theatre Commander of Operation Hadin Kai informed the decision to document his leadership approach.
He said the philosophy was organised around five principles summarised as PROSE: Professional Excellence, Robust Administration, Operational Readiness, Strategic Cooperation and Exemplary Leadership.
Abubakar identified troop welfare, training, morale and professional dignity as central to the approach, arguing that personnel support was essential to combat effectiveness.
He also called for greater investment in human intelligence and closer engagement with credible community groups and private security outfits familiar with conflict-affected areas.
On military capabilities, Abubakar advocated sustained air support for ground troops, stronger coordination between the Army and Nigerian Air Force, and increased investment in Army Aviation and long-endurance drones to improve surveillance and battlefield awareness.
He said Nigeria’s extensive borders and the changing tactics of armed groups required the military to continually adapt its strategies and operational capabilities.
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