Army graduates 384 female soldiers

The Nigerian Army has graduated 384 female soldiers after completing Exercise SHINING STAR 2026, a training programme aimed at strengthening their military skills, physical fitness and operational readiness.

The soldiers, drawn from the 90 Regular Recruit Intake (90 RRI), completed the exercise at the Nigerian Army School of Public Relations and Information in Giri, Abuja, on Wednesday.

The Assistant Director of Army Public Relations, Nigerian Army Women Command, Major Nsima Essien, disclosed this in a statement shared on the Army’s X handle on Thursday.

The Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General W. Shaibu, was represented at the passing-out ceremony by Major General Umar Gital Yusuf.

Addressing the newly trained personnel, Yusuf commended their dedication, discipline, resilience and commitment throughout the exercise.

He described the successful completion of the training as an important milestone in their military careers, reaffirming the Army’s commitment to building a professional, disciplined and combat-ready force.

He urged the soldiers to uphold the values of teamwork, courage, loyalty and professionalism while applying the skills acquired during training to their military duties.

Yusuf also stressed the importance of continuous training, physical fitness and operational preparedness in tackling Nigeria’s evolving security challenges before declaring the exercise closed.

Earlier, the Acting Commander of the Nigerian Army Women Command, Colonel S. M. Ahmed, said the exercise was designed to improve the physical fitness, military competence, discipline and operational readiness of the female personnel.

Highlights of the ceremony included obstacle-crossing demonstrations and weapons-handling exercises, during which the female soldiers demonstrated their ability to strip and assemble AK-47 rifles while blindfolded.

Ahmed said 384 female soldiers participated in the exercise, alongside 14 male personnel from the Headquarters, Directorate of Army Physical Training, and 70 male personnel from the 167 Special Forces Battalion.

Eight personnel who distinguished themselves during the exercise received awards from the acting commander.

The ceremony was attended by senior military officers, representatives of paramilitary agencies and other invited guests.

The Army said the exercise formed part of its efforts to improve personnel development, strengthen military competence and enhance operational readiness amid the country’s security challenges.