CDS Declares Stranex 2025 Open, Urges Armed Forces To Embrace Joint Training For Enhanced National Security
The Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), General Christopher Gwabin Musa, has emphasised the imperative of joint training among the Armed Forces of Nigeria (AFN) to effectively confront the evolving security challenges facing the nation. General Musa made this assertion on Tuesday, 29 July 2025, while declaring open the Strategic National Security Exercise (STRANEX 2025) in Abuja. The exercise involves participants from Course 33 of the National Defence College (NDC), Nigeria, as well as participants from the Services War Colleges.
Represented by the Chief of Training at Defence Headquarters, Rear Admiral Ibrahim Shettima, the CDS stated that the objective of the exercise is to enhance the strategic capacity of participants for optimal performance in complex national and regional security environments. He described the Course 33 theme, “Strengthening Institutions for National Security and Development in Nigeria,” as timely and relevant in the face of contemporary global and domestic security dynamics. According to him, the series of lectures, modules, and seminars undertaken by the participants were designed to deepen understanding in core thematic areas such as national security, civil-military relations, and strategic governance.
General Musa added that the higher management of defence module provides participants with insights into the organizational architecture of the AFN and the broader national security and strategic decision-making apparatus.
“The culmination of this module – the STRANEX – is more than just an academic requirement. It is a simulation of real-world national crisis management, requiring multi-level collaboration, strategic decision making, and policy formulation under pressure,” he said.
He further emphasised that the joint involvement of Services War Colleges added depth and realism to the exercise. “This edition introduces critical service-specific operational perspectives. When interrogated jointly, they reflect the true character of modern warfare and national defence strategy. The integration exemplifies our collective commitment to jointness, synergy, and shared national purpose,” the CDS concluded.
In his welcome remarks, the Commandant of the NDC, Rear Admiral James Ohimai Okosun stated that the exercise was carefully designed to build participants’ skills in strategic decision-making and crisis management, leveraging all elements of national power. Rear Admiral Okosun highlighted that the joint nature of the exercise provides a vital platform for strengthening military cooperation and operational integration across services. He noted that the simulation showcases responses to volatile and hostile scenarios, helping to prepare participants for real-world national security contingencies. He thanked the CDS for his consistent support to the NDC and its sister institutions.
Also speaking, the Director of Higher Military Organisation and Operations, and coordinator of the exercise, Brigadier General Olumide Ojo, described STRANEX 2025 as a problem-solving exercise that enables participants to apply strategic management and crisis resolution skills in real time. He warned that failure to properly manage crises could lead to anarchy and widespread destruction of lives and property.
Brigadier General Ojo added that the exercise continues throughout the week, with simulated engagements testing participants’ abilities in strategic leadership, interagency collaboration, and national crisis response.
