GOC 2 Division Flags Off Combat Proficiency Competition 2025

GOC 2 Division Flags Off Combat Proficiency Competition 2025

The General Officer Commanding (GOC) 2 Division Nigerian Army (NA), Major General Godwin Onubogu, has declared open the 2 Division Combat Proficiency Competition 2025, one of the key activities captured in the Nigerian Army Forecast of Events for the year.

The competition, currently ongoing at Ekehuan Cantonment, Edo State, is designed to sharpen leadership skills, foster esprit-de-corps, enhance professional competence, and prepare officers for higher responsibilities. It also aims at ensuring participating officers attain the desired level of battle readiness in view of the prevailing security challenges confronting the nation.

Represented by the Commander 4 Brigade NA, Brigadier General EO Oduyebo, the GOC noted that this year’s edition of the Inter-Brigade Combat Proficiency Competition is expected to be more challenging and impactful than previous editions. According to him, the competition is structured to improve discipline, resilience, team spirit, and the fighting spirit of junior officers, while inculcating the principles of war necessary for success on the battlefield and in other operational theatres. He added that the level of preparation by both the organizers and the participating formations underscores the high standards expected during the competition.

Major General Onubogu emphasized that the Chief of Army Staff (COAS) has prioritized combat proficiency training as a means of empowering junior commanders to effectively tackle contemporary security challenges in support of civil authority and in synergy with other security agencies. He stressed that this aligns with the COAS Command Philosophy: “To Consolidate the Transformation of the Nigerian Army Towards Bequeathing a Well-Motivated and Combat-Ready Force that can Effectively Discharge its Constitutional Responsibilities within a Joint and Multi-Agency Environment.”

The GOC further stressed that training remains the bedrock of all military operations, describing it as a veritable tool for enhancing professionalism and ensuring operational effectiveness. He listed key assessment areas including map reading, combat swimming, weapon handling, and obstacle crossing. These events, he said, are designed to test the resilience and leadership qualities of junior commanders while improving their combat proficiency.

He expressed appreciation to the COAS for his strategic guidance and continued support towards meeting the Division’s training requirements. He assured that 2 Division remains committed to giving training the utmost priority in line with the NA Training Directives for 2025.

The opening ceremony featured the Map Reading exercise as the first event, which was keenly contested among the participating formations, setting the pace for the rest of the competition.