The 1 Division Garrison of the Nigerian Army has emerged overall winner of the 2026 1 Division Warrant Officers and Senior Non-Commissioned Officers (WOS and SNCOs) competition held in Kaduna.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that 31 Artillery Brigade secured second position, while 3 Brigade, Kano, finished third.
The 41 Engineer Brigade, 51 Signal Brigade, and 1 Military Intelligence Brigade placed fourth.
The five-day competition was held at the Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA) Old Site Sports Complex.
Speaking at the closing ceremony on Friday, the General Officer Commanding (GOC), 1 Division Nigerian Army, Maj.-Gen. Abubakar Wase, represented by the Chief of Staff, Brig.-Gen. Timothy Opurun, commended participants for their discipline, resilience, and professionalism throughout the competition.
Wase said the competition had successfully achieved its objectives of assessing leadership capabilities, enhancing combat readiness, and promoting camaraderie among participating formations.
“For the past four days, this Division has witnessed a commendable display of discipline, physical endurance, tactical proficiency, and unyielding esprit de corps.
“When we commenced this competition, the objective was clear to evaluate leadership capabilities, sharpen combat readiness, and foster camaraderie among the contingents.
“Looking at all of you today, I can confidently say that we have achieved those objectives,” he said.
The GOC noted that the competition was designed to test participants’ ability to lead under pressure, make sound tactical decisions under demanding conditions, and maintain high standards of military professionalism.
He said the soldiers demonstrated competence in navigating difficult terrain, weapon handling, and map-reading exercises, among other military tasks.
According to him, the determination displayed by participants reflects the qualities required to dominate the operational environment and effectively confront emerging security threats.
Wase congratulated all participants, stressing that although trophies were awarded to the best-performing formations, every competitor emerged a winner through the experience and lessons gained during the exercise.
“To the winning formation, congratulations on your well-deserved victory. Your hard work, meticulous preparation, and seamless teamwork have paid off.
“To those who did not secure the top prize, do not be discouraged. Use this experience as a benchmark, identify areas for improvement, and return to your units with renewed determination to train harder,” he said.
The GOC also expressed appreciation to the Chief of Army Staff, Lt.-Gen. Waidi Shaibu, for providing the necessary support and resources for the successful conduct of the competition.
He further commended the Commander, 1 Division Garrison, members of the organizing committee, umpires, medical personnel, and administrative support teams for ensuring a smooth, transparent, and safe competition.
Wase charged participants to apply the skills, endurance, and tactical knowledge acquired during the exercise in their daily responsibilities and ongoing military operations.
He thereafter declared the 2026 1 Division Warrant Officers and Senior Non-Commissioned Officers Competition officially closed.
NAN reports that 177 soldiers and three officers drawn from 1 Division Garrison, 3 Brigade, 31 Artillery Brigade, 41 Engineer Brigade, 51 Signal Brigade, and 1 Military Intelligence Brigade participated in the competition.
The event featured weapon handling, range classification, obstacle crossing, physical fitness drills, map reading, navigation exercises, and other military disciplines aimed at enhancing interoperability, tactical competence, and combat effectiveness among participating formations and units. (NAN)
