Abuja, June 20, 2025 — The Commander of the Army Headquarters Garrison (AHQGARR), Major General William Dangana, has called on Nigerian soldiers to always remain ready for any mission. He emphasized the importance of regular training to keep troops prepared for real-life battles.

He gave this charge on Friday during the closing ceremony of the 2025 Warrant Officers and Senior Non-Commissioned Officers (NCOs) Competition in Abuja.

General Dangana highlighted the key role senior NCOs play in ensuring the Nigerian Army operates effectively. He praised the participants for showing great skill in various activities such as drills, shooting, and tactical navigation.

He also applauded their strength and determination in physically demanding tasks like swimming, obstacle courses, and combat races — exercises he said reflect actual battlefield conditions.

“What I’ve seen over the past few days proves this competition has achieved its purpose,” he said. “It supports the Army Chief’s goal of building a motivated, disciplined, and battle-ready force capable of working with other security agencies.”

According to him, the exercises were more than just competitions. They helped test the soldiers’ discipline, teamwork, mental alertness, and readiness — all qualities that define a strong army.

General Dangana commended the senior officers for their commitment, teamwork, and leadership throughout the event. He said their performance had strengthened unity within the garrison and reminded everyone of their duty to train and mentor younger soldiers.

He urged all participants to apply the lessons learned and keep improving, encouraging those who didn’t win to keep pushing for success in future contests.

“Winning trophies is good,” he said, “but the real goal is to build our strength, encourage team spirit, and stay ready for any challenge.”

The week-long competition, which began on Monday, featured three teams from the AHQ Garrison area of responsibility. At the end, Team Alpha came first with 380 points, followed by Team Charlie with 280 points, and Team Bravo with 180 points.