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| The 22 Senior Non-Commissioned Officers of Headquarters 3 Brigade |
In the sunlit halls of the Brigade Auditorium at Headquarters 3 Brigade, Nigerian Army, in Kano, a quiet but profound chapter closed on Thursday, 15 October 2026. Brigadier General Saka Jimoh, the Brigade Commander, formally honoured 22 Senior Non-Commissioned Officers (SNCOs) from Headquarters 3 Brigade and its affiliated units who had completed 35 years of dedicated and meritorious service to the Nigerian Army and the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
The send-off ceremony, announced the following day by Major Babatunde Zubairu, Assistant Director of Army Public Relations for 3 Brigade, was more than a routine farewell. It was a deliberate recognition of the often-unsung men who form the institutional memory, disciplinary backbone, and operational continuity of the Army. These veterans received cash gifts and other items as tangible tokens of appreciation for decades of sacrifice. The event concluded with a luncheon where Jimoh and other senior officers, officers, and soldiers shared a meal with the retirees, underscoring the camaraderie that defines military life even at its formal end.
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Loyalty, Sacrifice, and the Weight of Long Service
Addressing the gathering, Brigadier General Jimoh expressed genuine delight at the successful completion of the retirees’ careers. “I commend you for your loyalty, discipline and steadfast commitment to duty throughout your years of service,” he said. He framed the occasion as a fitting tribute to their courage, patriotism, and selfless dedication, noting that their contributions had meaningfully enhanced the Nigerian Army’s operational effectiveness and mission accomplishment.
Jimoh did not shy away from the personal cost of that service. “Military service often requires personnel to remain separated from their loved ones, endure challenging conditions and place the interests of the nation above personal comfort. Your 35 years of service reflect a profound sense of duty and commitment to the defence of the country,” he stated. This is not abstract rhetoric. For soldiers who enlisted in the early 1990s, those 35 years spanned Nigeria’s turbulent democratic transitions, the rise of Boko Haram and later ISWAP in the Northeast, the escalation of banditry and communal conflicts in the Northwest and North-Central regions, and multiple peacekeeping deployments abroad.
Speaking on behalf of the 22 retirees, the outgoing Brigade Regimental Sergeant Major, Master Warrant Officer Suleiman Mohammed, offered a measured response rooted in gratitude. “We thank the Commander for the honour bestowed upon us after 35 years of meritorious service. His generosity, encouragement and commitment to personnel welfare demonstrate leadership that recognises and appreciates the sacrifices of soldiers who have devoted the greater part of their lives to serving the nation,” Mohammed said.
Jimoh’s advice looked forward. He urged the retirees to remain worthy ambassadors of the Nigerian Army, uphold discipline and integrity, mentor younger generations, and stay actively involved in their communities. Retirement, he insisted, is “the beginning of a new chapter filled with opportunities for personal growth and meaningful contributions to society.” He counselled careful planning, prudent resource management, acquisition of additional skills where needed, and prioritisation of health and well-being.
Context: 3 Brigade and the Role of the Senior NCO
Headquarters 3 Brigade, based at Bukavu Barracks in Kano, operates under 1 Division and plays a critical role in internal security across parts of the Northwest. The formation has been actively engaged under frameworks such as Operation MESA, addressing banditry and criminal activities in local government areas including Shanono, Tsanyawa, and Gwarzo. Successive commanders have emphasised inter-agency collaboration with the police, DSS, and other services to maintain relative stability in a commercially vital but historically restive state.
Brigadier General Saka Jimoh assumed command of the brigade in mid-2026. His leadership has continued the formation’s focus on both operational readiness and personnel welfare—an approach visible in this send-off. Senior Non-Commissioned Officers occupy a unique position in any army. They are the primary trainers, enforcers of standards, and the day-to-day link between junior ranks and the officer corps. In the Nigerian Army, a Master Warrant Officer or equivalent who reaches 35 years has typically risen through multiple operational theatres, accumulated deep institutional knowledge, and shaped generations of soldiers.
The Broader Pattern of 35-Year Service
Retirement after 35 years is a standard milestone for Senior Non-Commissioned Officers across the Nigerian Armed Forces. In recent years, large cohorts have passed through formal disengagement processes at the Nigerian Armed Forces Resettlement Centre (NAFRC) in Oshodi, Lagos. In December 2024, 656 SNCOs (535 from the Army) completed a six-month demilitarisation and vocational training programme. In June 2025, another 542 followed the same path. These programmes equip retiring personnel with skills in agriculture, ICT, welding, tailoring, entrepreneurship, and other trades, alongside discharge certificates and starter support, to ease the transition into civilian life.
The local ceremony in Kano fits this national pattern while adding a personal, unit-level dimension. Unit send-offs allow commanders to acknowledge specific contributions within their formations before the more formal national resettlement process. Such recognition matters for morale. When leaders visibly value long service, it reinforces the idea that the institution remembers those who have given the better part of their working lives to it.
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Analysis: Beyond the Ceremony
Events like this reveal several deeper realities about the Nigerian military. First, the heavy reliance on experienced NCOs. While officers provide strategic direction, the SNCOs sustain day-to-day discipline, training quality, and unit cohesion—especially under the strain of protracted internal security operations.
Losing 22 such personnel from one brigade and its units in a single cycle represents a meaningful transfer of experience that must be managed carefully through mentorship and knowledge transfer.
Second, the emphasis on welfare and transition reflects an evolving understanding that military service does not end cleanly at retirement. Many of these men will return to communities still facing security or economic challenges. Encouraging them to remain engaged as mentors and community contributors is both practical and strategic: veterans who successfully reintegrate become living advertisements for disciplined service and can help bridge the civil-military gap.
Third, the timing carries quiet significance. Nigeria continues to confront complex, multi-dimensional security threats. Retaining institutional memory while refreshing the ranks requires deliberate balance. Ceremonies that honour those departing help maintain the social contract between the Army and its personnel.
The 22 SNCOs who stood in the Brigade Auditorium that Thursday represent more than individual careers. They embody continuity through decades of national change. Their send-off, complete with practical gifts, public commendation, shared lunch, and forward-looking counsel, offers a model of how a professional force can mark the end of long service with dignity.
As these veterans step into the next phase—whether further vocational training at NAFRC, entrepreneurship, community leadership, or quiet family life—the Nigerian Army’s message is clear: their loyalty, discipline, and sacrifice have been seen, valued, and will not be forgotten. In an institution defined by hierarchy and mission, that recognition itself constitutes a form of leadership.
Samuel O. Sulaimon is the founder and Editor-in-Chief of Naijapiz. He covers News, Sports, Finance, Faiths, Education, Politics and Technology.
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