The Commander Infantry Corps (CIC), Major General Godwin Mutkut, has urged Warrant Officers (WOs) and Senior Non-Commissioned Officers (SNCOs) to embrace realistic and practical training to enhance their effectiveness in modern military operations.
Gen Mutkut made the call on Monday 21 September 2026, while declaring open the 5day Warrant Officers’ Academy (WOA) Leadership and Management Seminar for Course 48/2026, held at the WOA Student’s Mess.
A statement signed by Lieutenant Koni Elizabeth Kambai Acting Assistant Director Army Public Relations Warrant Officers’ Academy said the CIC stressed that effective junior leadership remains critical to the success of formations, battalions and regiments operations.
He therefore urged instructors and resource persons to draw from firsthand operational experiences to make the training more practical and relevant. Describing WOs and SNCOs as the “backbone of the Nigerian Armed Forces,” charging participants, including foreign military personnel, to maximize the opportunity and return to their respective units as better leaders and role models capable of enhancing operational effectiveness.
In his opening remarks, the Commandant WOA, Brigadier General Anthony Wende, stated that the seminar was designed to bridge operational and administrative gaps between commissioned officers and the enlisted cadre. He described WOA as the apex training institution for Warrant Officers’ and SNCOs, noting its vital role in the reorientation and professional development of personnel in the Armed Forces of Nigeria.
The seminar, themed “Adaptive Leadership and Management for 21st Century Military Operations: The WOs and SNCOs Imperative” focuses on equipping participants with the skills required to effectively navigate the complexities of modern warfare and contemporary security environments.
Brig Gen Wende noted that participants are expected to apply the knowledge gained in their various formations and units as well as in their capacity in administration, mentorship, counselling, leadership and decision-making.
Highlights of the opening ceremony included lecture presentations, interactive sessions, presentation of souvenirs and group photographs.
