Nigeria army chief pushes wargaming to curb mass kidnappings

Lieutenant General Waidi Shaibu, Nigeria’s Chief of Army Staff, opened the Army War College Nigeria (AWCN) Wargaming Centre in Abuja and called on military planners to use wargaming and strategic analysis to tackle the country’s growing mass‑kidnapping crisis. Shaibu said kidnappings in forested areas and rural communities are deterring parents from sending children to school and require innovative solutions beyond conventional military responses.

He urged the new centre to test rapid‑response options, examine proposed state policing structures, and improve coordination among security agencies. The centre is intended to become a hub for education, research, operational analysis and concept development, supporting Nigeria and the wider African region in developing actionable recommendations to strengthen national security.