The Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Waidi Shaibu, has charged Regimental Sergeant Majors (RSMs) of the Nigerian Army to reinforce and sustain the warrior ethos as a strategic requirement for maintaining combat power, operational effectiveness and mission success across formations and units nationwide.
The COAS gave the charge on Thursday during the closing ceremony of the First Regimental Sergeant Majors’ Convention 2026 held at the JN Garba Hall, Postgraduate School, Old Nigerian Defence Academy, Kaduna.
The convention, themed “Empowering Regimental Sergeant Majors to Drive Combat Readiness and Professional Excellence,” brought together senior non-commissioned officers for professional engagement, operational experience sharing and strategic discussions aimed at strengthening leadership capacity, mentorship culture and regimental standards in support of the ongoing transformation drive of the Nigerian Army.
Addressing participants, Lieutenant General Shaibu described RSMs as critical custodians of discipline, regimentation and military traditions, noting that their influence remains essential in sustaining troop morale, operational cohesion and esprit de corps, particularly among personnel deployed in various theatres of operations across the country. 
He stressed that building and sustaining a strong warrior ethos remains central to developing resilient, disciplined and mission-oriented troops capable of confronting emerging and asymmetric security threats.
The Army Chief also cautioned personnel against the misuse of social media and other digital platforms, warning that careless online engagements could compromise operational security, damage institutional integrity and negatively impact ongoing military operations.
He therefore directed RSMs to lead by example through the enforcement of responsible digital conduct, improved information discipline and strict adherence to established communication protocols within their respective formations and units.
Lieutenant General Shaibu further urged the senior non-commissioned officers to intensify mentorship and leadership guidance for younger soldiers in order to preserve regimental values, deepen professionalism and promote ethical conduct at all levels of command responsibility.
According to him, effective mentorship remains indispensable to building a highly motivated, combat-ready and professionally grounded force capable of meeting contemporary security challenges.
Earlier in his remarks, the Chief of Administration (Army), Isa Abdullahi, stated that the convention reflects the Nigerian Army’s commitment to enhancing administrative efficiency, professional excellence and sustained operational readiness in line with the COAS’ command philosophy.
He charged participants to effectively deploy the knowledge, operational experiences and strategic insights gained during the convention towards improving troop welfare, discipline, regimentation and operational efficiency within their various formations and units.
By Folake Sokoya
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