Army begins WOs, SNCOs’ competition in Abuja

The Army Headquarters Garrison on Monday, commenced the 2022 Warrant Officers (WOs) and Senior Non Commissioned Officers’ (SNCOs) Competition with Map Reading at Mogadishu Cantonment Parade Ground Abuja.

Our correspondent reports that the aim of the competition was to improve leadership qualities, organisational ability and the level of initiative amongst warrant officers and SNCOs.

The week-long event will feature Weapon Handling, Physical Fitness which will involve 3.2km endurance run, obstacle crossing and drill.

While declaring the competition opened, the Commander, AHQ Garrison, Maj.-Gen. Kabir Garba, urged the participants to take the competition serious by putting in their best to achieve the desired result.

Garba, who was represented by the Chief of Staff, AHQ Garrison, Brig.-Gen. Jefferson Feboke, said there was joy in doing something well, adding that the result they would get would be determined by the efforts they put in.

“If you do it very well, you will get the result and if you don’t you get no result. It depends on what type of result you want,” he said.

The Training officer for AHQ Garrison, Brig.-Gen Adeleye Lawal, said the annual competition was organised to ensure steadfast level of training among soldiers.

Lawal said it was ideal to ensure that soldiers train well to enhance their operational readiness should they be deployed during war times.

“It is a privilege for you all to be here selected from your various departments in Army Headquarters and those of AHQs garrison itself.

“As representatives of your various departments and formations, earlier this year the younger ones corporal below held their competition on this same parade ground.

“I must tell you it was joyous. It is a challenge to you all and I know with almost four weeks of training that have gone into this, it is expected that your level of participation will be higher than what the younger ones did.

“A lot has been placed on you and I am sure none of you will be the one to let the teams down,” he said..

Lawal said the trainings were being conducted to actualise the Chief of Army Staff (COAS) vision, adding that everyone must be ready at all times to take up any task given to him.

“For today we are beginning with map reading and point to point; tomorrow we have range classification at Keffi and on Wednesday we shall have obstacle crossing.

“On Thursday is five kilometres (5km) run which will dovetail into swimming competition before Friday when we shall have drill competition on this parade ground,” he said.