Today, the opening ceremony of the highly anticipated 2023 3 Division Inter-formations Warrant Officers and Senior Non-Commissioned Officers competition took place. Officers and personnel from various units, including the 6 Infantry Brigade Jalingo, 23 Armored Brigade Yola, 33 Artillery Brigade Bauchi, 3 Div Garrison, 43 Engineer Brigade, and 53 Signal Brigade, participated in the event which was held at the 82 Battalion Parade Ground at Maxwel Khobe Cantonment, Rukuba Barracks, Plateau state.

The Garrison Commander, Brigadier General MO Agi, delivered the opening remarks on behalf of the officers and personnel of 3 Div. He expressed his privilege and honor to welcome the Special Guest of Div/Comd OPSH, Maj Gen AE Abubakar, as well as guests, commanders, and heads of security agencies to the 3 Div Inter-formations Warrant Officers and Senior Non-Commissioned Officers competition 2023. The event commenced at the 82 Bn parade ground.

Brigadier General MO Agi highlighted the significance of this competition as one of the key training activities in 3 Div, aligning with the GOC Training Directives derived from Army Headquarters Training Directives for the year 2023. The competition aims to enhance the skills and effectiveness of Warrant Officers and Senior Non-Commissioned Officers in fulfilling their constitutional roles.

The week-long event will feature various activities, including drill exercises and a Combat Run and Obstacle Crossing on the final day. Participants for the competition have been selected from formations within 3 Div Area of Responsibility (AOR), which includes 6 Bde, 23 Bde, 33 Bde, 43 EB, 53 SB, and 3 Div Gar. The competition promises to be a test of military proficiency and will contribute to the overall professional development of the participants.

The General Officer Commanding 3 Division and Commander Operation Safe Haven, Maj Gen AE Abubakar, represented by the Chief of Staff, Brigadier General David Kurmi, delivered the opening address. Maj Gen Abubakar expressed gratitude to God for the opportunity to witness the 2023 Warrant Officers and Senior Non-Commissioned Officers Inter-formations Competition. He acknowledged the prevalent security challenges in Nigeria, such as insurgency, kidnapping, militancy, and armed robbery, and emphasized the importance of upscaling training and military exercises to tackle these challenges effectively.

The competition serves as a platform to enhance the training of Warrant Officers and Senior Non-Commissioned Officers in improved regimentation and leadership qualities, enabling them to perform their constitutional roles as professional soldiers. Maj Gen Abubakar highlighted the role of competitions in developing resilience, fostering camaraderie, and improving skills, aligning with the vision of readiness, synergy, and excellence.

He urged participants to focus not only on winning trophies but also on the significant benefits that come from participating in such competitions. The umpires and observers were called upon to carefully assess the competition and derive lessons for future improvements. The judges were reminded to maintain neutrality, fairness, and professionalism in computing the results.

Maj Gen Abubakar expressed gratitude to all the invited guests and friends for attending the opening ceremony. With that, he officially declared the 3 Division Inter-formations Warrant Officers and Senior Non-Commissioned Officers competition 2023 open.

The competition is expected to be a display of skill, discipline, and teamwork, contributing to the overall readiness and effectiveness of the participating units within 3 Div.