In a renewed push to combat terrorism and enhance national security, the President Bola Tinubu-led administration has enlisted foreign military experts to train Nigerian soldiers in advanced counterterrorism and hostage rescue tactics.
Minister of Defence, Badaru Abubakar, made the announcement during the launch of a new training programme in Kaduna State, designed to address Nigeria’s persistent security challenges.
Training 2,400 Soldiers in Specialized Combat
According to the Defence Minister, the first phase of the programme will see 800 soldiers trained, with two more phases planned to cover a total of 2,400 troops. The training will incorporate modern technology and upgraded weaponry to bolster the soldiers’ operational effectiveness.
Abubakar emphasized that the foreign military specialists—drawn from seven different countries—were brought in due to the increasingly sophisticated tactics employed by terrorist and insurgent groups across Nigeria.
“In the initial phase alone, 2,400 Nigerian soldiers will receive the specialised training before the programme moves into its second stage,” he said.
Though the minister withheld the names of the countries supplying the experts, sources suggest they may include nations with combat experience in asymmetric warfare, such as the U.S., U.K., Israel, or France.
Early Gains in Security Efforts
The Minister cited Birnin Gwari in Kaduna State as an example where recent security interventions have reportedly led to the restoration of peace.
The training initiative is part of a broader military reform and modernization plan by the Tinubu administration, aimed at improving troop readiness, responding to banditry, insurgency, and cross-border threats, particularly in Nigeria’s northern and middle belt regions.
The move has been met with cautious optimism by analysts, who stress that foreign training must be matched with accountability, strategic leadership, and community engagement for long-term security impact.
