By 
By Usman Aliyu
The Nigerian Army 4 Brigade, Benin, on Friday emerged overall winner of the 2 Division Inter-Brigade Combat Proficiency Competition for 2025.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the brigade defeated five other formations in a display of courage, resilience, and teamwork to emerge winner of the competition.
The week-long contest held at the Nigerian Army Cantonment, Ekehuan, saw junior officers from six formations under 2 Division lock horns in a battle of skill, strength, and endurance.
The competing formations include 32 Brigade, Akure; 12 Brigade, Lokoja; 22 Brigade, Ilorin; 42 Engineering Brigade, Ibadan; and 2 Division Garrison/81 Battalion.
The officers were tested in obstacle crossing, weapon handling and shooting, swimming, endurance run, and tug of war, all designed to showcase combat readiness.
At the grand finale, 4 brigade scored 440 points and clinched six trophies, while the 12 brigade, Lokoja, followed closely with 390 points.
The 2 Division Garrison/81 Battalion came third with 380 points, while 32 brigade, Akure, finished fourth with 370 points, 22 brigade, Ilorin, came fifth with 350 points, and the 42 Engineering brigade/52 Signal Battalion/ECC trailed in the sixth posotion with 282 points.
Speaking at the closing ceremony, the General Officer Commanding (GOC), 2 Division, Maj.-Gen. Chinedu Nnebeife, said the competition was not just about winning trophies but about shaping leaders for the battlefield.
Represented by Brig.-Gen. Justin Ifeanyi, Commander, 32 Brigade, Nnebeife emphasised that regular training was crucial to staying ahead of adversaries in the face of mounting security challenges.
According to him, the competition is designed to improve the leadership qualities of junior commanders.
“It is also geared towards challenging their initiative and preparing them for higher responsibilities by enhancing combat proficiency through physical skills and endurance.
“As it is popularly said, we sweat more in peace time through training and bleed less during war and vice versa.
“Recall that similar competitions were conducted for corporals and below, and for senior non-commissioned officers, where leadership skills were showcased at other ranks’ level.”
He commended the resilience displayed by participants, stressing that the competition promoted “esprit de corps”, endurance, organisational ability, and cooperation, adding that these were all critical to operational effectiveness.
“These qualities are prerequisites for battle successes and operational effectiveness as encapsulated in the Chief of Army Staff’s command philosophy,” he said.
The GOC also urged the officers to apply the lessons learned beyond the training ground.
“I charge you all to effectively apply the skills gained during the preparatory training and those acquired during the competition.”
The NAN further reports that the event drew dignitaries from other security agencies in the state including, Commissioner of Police, Monday Agbonika.
Others were representatives of the Nigeria Immigration Service, Nigeria Correctional Service, and the Federal Road Safety Commission.
The highpoint of the closing ceremony was the presentation of awards to outstanding officers amidst cheers from colleagues and dignitaries.
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