Participants of the Army War College Nigeria (AWCN) Course 10/2026 have officially commenced an operational theatre visit to the Headquarters of the 1 Division, Nigerian Army, and Operation FANSAN YAMMA in Kaduna.
A statement signed by Lieutenant Colonel Ajemasu Yake Jingina Acting Deputy Director Army Public Relations1 Division Nigerian Army/Sector 1 Operation FANSAN YAMMA said the team Led by Brigadier General John Mbanefo, the delegation arrived for the exercise which began at the First Division Auditorium on September 3, 2026.
The strategic visit is designed to bridge the gap between classroom theory and real-world application, deepening the participants’ practical understanding of contemporary military operations, operational art, and campaign planning as part of their higher military education.
Welcoming the delegation, the General Officer Commanding (GOC), 1 Division Nigerian Army, and Commander, Sector 1 Joint Task Force, Operation FANSAN YAMMA, Major General Abubakar Sadique Muhammed Wase, described the tour as both timely and vital.
Major General Wase, who was represented by the Commander of the 51 Signal Brigade, Brigadier General Opeyemi Olusegun Okungbure, underscored the volatile and evolving security dynamics within the Division’s Area of Responsibility.
He highlighted 1 Division’s pivotal role in the broader North-West security framework, emphasizing its responsibility in securing critical transit corridors that connect the North-West zone to neighboring states and other regions of the country. Specifically, he noted that the Abuja–Kaduna highway remains a critical artery for national security and economic activities, serving as a lifeline to both the North-West and North-East.
Brigadier General Okungbure challenged the participants to fully immerse themselves in the field experience by engaging directly with commanders and troops, analyzing operational realities on the ground, and extracting actionable lessons to improve future campaign planning and overall combat effectiveness.
Reiterating the value of the exercise, the Team Leader, Brigadier General John Mbanefo, stated that the theatre visit offers an invaluable environment for participants to study ongoing operations through the lens of operational art. During the tour, participants will evaluate existing contingency plans, review current operations, and analyze how operational estimates are translated into successful field execution. He noted that assessing the decision-making patterns and intelligence infrastructure used by field commanders is central to mastering modern military campaigning.
Earlier in the program, the Team Coordinator and AWCN faculty member, Colonel Jerry Maigari, provided an overview of the institution’s mission. Established in 2017, the Army War College Nigeria is dedicated to grooming highly educated, innovative, and professional operational-level leaders for the Nigerian Army.
Colonel Maigari disclosed that Course 10/2026 comprises 100 distinguished middle-to-senior level officers. This includes 89 Nigerian officers and 11 allied participants drawn from Ghana, Botswana, Liberia, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Cameroon, Chad, Guinea, and South Africa. He added that local and international study tours remain a cornerstone of the college’s curriculum, with the Kaduna leg explicitly tailored to unpack the complexities of Operation FANSAN YAMMA.
The operational theatre visit is expected to reinforce the critical link between professional military education and the fluid demands of safeguarding Nigeria’s strategic environment.
