Northern Pulse: 1 Division Training School Embarks On Training Young Soldiers On Enhanced And Intensive Combat Proficiency

In a bid to enhance operational efficiency, the 1 DTS has embarked on training a new set of young soldiers of 89 Regular Intake on intensive training to be infused into Operation FANSAN YAMMA theatre.

The soldiers who were inaugurated today will undergo 8 weeks of intensive training with the purpose of improving their confidence, knowledge about conventional warfare and Courter insurgency operations. They will be adequately trained to compliment the on-going fight against banditry, kidnapping and other criminal activities. ESS IX/26 is for soldiers of 89 RRI from formations and units under 1 Division .

The soldiers who were inaugurated on Tuesday 27 January 2026 in Dalet Cantonment, Kawo Kaduna are expected to undergo a rigorous module of specialized training in furtherance to achieving the Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lt Gen Waidi Shaibu’s Command Philosophy.

According to the Division Training Officer, Brig Gen Abdullahi Hassan Gwani, “the training under the codename EXERCISE SHINING STAR IX (NINE) is aimed at projecting and realizing the COAS Command Philosophy which is “To advance the transformation of Nigerian Army into a more professional, adaptable, combat ready and resilient force capable of decisively discharging its constitutional responsibilities within a joint and multi-agency environment.”

He added that the training is a 8-week long course aimed at exposing the soldiers to a specialized concept of operations, Basic Signals Communication, Tactical and Combat Shooting, Watermanship, Internal Security operations, Weapon Handling, Map Reading.

Others include; rudiments of Regimentation, Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) Awareness, Endurance Dashing, Fit-to-fight, Cordon and Search, Rescue Operations among others.

Highlight was their maiden lecture where troops learned about the sequence action plan for responding to IED sightings which include; practical demonstration led by instructors, where troops were divided into four groups, each group rotated through various equipment used to detect IEDs.

Topics on uses of IEDs and equipment use for detection which are the Vallon and Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR), applying the Five sequence response plan and reinforcing their understanding of detection among others.