Buratai Centre Develops Courses To Strengthen Leadership, Command In Counterinsurgency Operations

A committee of experts constituted by the Tukur Buratai Research Centre (TBRC) on Thursday submitted completed course modules designed to strengthen leadership, resilience and command capabilities in contemporary Counterinsurgency (COIN) operations across tactical, operational and strategic levels to the chairman of TBRC Board of Trustees, Lieutenant General TY Buratai (rtd) .

The four-day drafting exercise, held in Abuja from Monday, 24 August to Thursday, 27 August 2026 brought together a carefully selected team comprising retired senior military officers with extensive operational theatre experience, seasoned academics, and other specialists in military operations, leadership, resilience, command, and security studies.

The committee comprised retired officers from the Nigerian Army, Nigerian Navy, and Nigerian Air Force, ensuring a comprehensive tri-service perspective in the development of the curricula and modules.

The director general/Secretary, Board of Trustees, Tukur Buratai Research Centre Brig-Gen Sani Kukasheka Usman (rtd) , said the exercise focused on six professional development courses, each structured around resilience and leadership as core pillars for effective command and sustained operational effectiveness in COIN settings.

The courses are: Tactical Resilience in COIN; Tactical Leadership and Command in COIN; Operational Resilience in COIN; Operational Leadership and Command in COIN; Strategic Resilience in COIN Environment; and Strategic Leadership in COIN Environment.

He explained that in developing the modules, the experts critically examined the complex and evolving nature of contemporary COIN operations, drawing extensively on their operational, command, academic, and professional backgrounds.

He added that particular emphasis was placed on building the capacity of military leaders to anticipate, withstand, and adapt to operational pressures, uncertainty, and adversity, while sustaining command effectiveness, unit cohesion, morale, and the ability to accomplish assigned missions.

According to him, the modules further aim to strengthen leadership at all command levels by equipping participants with the knowledge, skills, and competencies required for sound decision-making, effective command, building resilient teams and institutions, and sustaining operational effectiveness in challenging and unpredictable environments.

“Resilience is conceptualised not merely as the capacity to endure adversity but as a leadership attribute that enables commanders, formations, and units to adapt, recover, learn, and remain effective under pressure.”

He noted further that the exercise also provided a valuable platform for harmonising the practical experiences of retired military commanders with contemporary academic insights and professional expertise.

According to him, the multidisciplinary approach was intended to ensure the modules are relevant, practical, context-specific, and responsive to the realities of modern COIN operations, while advancing TBRC’s broader objective of developing capable, adaptive, and resilient leaders.

Brig-Gen Usman the committee at the conclusion of the exercise on Thursday, 27 August 2026 formally submitted the completed curricula and course modules to the Chairman of the TBRC Board of Trustees, Lieutenant General TY Buratai (rtd) CFR, for consideration and further necessary action.

“The successful completion of the exercise marks a significant milestone in the development of TBRC’s professional development programmes and emphasises the Centre’s commitment to building resilient leaders and effective commanders capable of navigating the complexities of contemporary counterinsurgency operations,” he stated.

The programmes are expected to provide a structured platform for developing leadership competencies and resilience across tactical, operational, and strategic levels.