The Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lt Gen. Waidi Shaibu, has challenged military strategists to develop practical solutions to the growing menace of mass abductions across Nigeria.

Shaibu gave the charge on Thursday in Abuja during the inauguration of the Army War College Nigeria (AWCN) Wargaming Centre.

He tasked the college to deploy wargaming and strategic analysis tools to address the complex security challenge threatening communities and educational institutions.

According to him, mass abduction remains one of Nigeria’s most pressing and evolving security concerns.

“One of the critical tasks I would like to leave with the college is how this wargaming can help address multiple mass abductions across our expansive forested areas.

“This is an evolving security challenge in Nigeria,” he said.

The army chief said fear of kidnapping had continued to discourage many parents from sending their children to schools, particularly in rural communities.

He noted that the challenge required innovative solutions beyond conventional military responses.

Shaibu urged the college to examine how proposed state policing structures could affect security decision-making and response mechanisms nationwide.

He also called for studies on improving coordination among security agencies to ensure timely responses during kidnapping incidents.

“When we talk about rapid response, we must consider the assets required and how decisions are made at the strategic level.

“Test those options and bring forward solutions,” he said.

The COAS expressed confidence in the college’s capacity to generate actionable recommendations capable of strengthening national security efforts.

He described wargaming as a critical tool for analysing complex operational problems and testing possible courses of action.

According to him, the process enables commanders to anticipate adversaries’ reactions and assess the consequences of decisions before deploying troops.

The COAS said the newly inaugurated Wargaming Centre would support education, research, operational analysis, concept development and strategic decision-making.

He urged the Army War College to make the facility a centre of excellence for operational and strategic wargaming in Nigeria and across Africa.

Earlier, the commandant of AWCN, Maj. Gen. Umar Alkali, said the centre represented a major milestone in strengthening professional military education.

Alkali said the facility would help develop leaders capable of critical thinking, operational planning and effective decision-making in complex environments.

The Director of War and Strategy, Brig.-Gen. Eyitayo Shoda, said the centre was established to provide a structured environment for testing ideas and challenging assumptions.

He said the college had also developed indigenous wargaming models covering counterterrorism, counterinsurgency, joint operations and other national security scenarios.