Presidential Guards Brigade Concludes Training Year With Annual Ascent of Aso Rock 2025

 

The Presidential Guards Brigade of the Nigerian Army on Saturday concluded its 2025 training year with the annual ascent of Aso Rock, a symbolic and physically demanding exercise that underscores the formation’s readiness, discipline, and operational preparedness.

Speaking to journalists at the summit of Aso Rock, the Commander, Guards Brigade, Brigadier-General Adebisi Onasanya, described the exercise as a tradition that marks the end of the brigade’s training calendar. 

He noted that the year under review was particularly challenging, given the expanded operational demands placed on the brigade beyond its core responsibilitp protecting the President.

According to Brig.-Gen. Onasanya, the Guards Brigade was heavily engaged in several security operations across its Area of Responsibility (AOR), including clearance operations stretching from Bwari to Abaji, Gwagwalada, Toto, and parts of Niger State. 

He disclosed that these operations led to multiple arrests, the recovery of weapons, and the neutralisation of criminal elements, significantly improving security within the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) and its environs.

He attributed these successes to effective inter-agency collaboration, commending the synergy with the Nigeria Police Force, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, Department of State Services, as well as the Nigerian Navy and the Nigerian Air Force. The commander praised the officers and soldiers of the brigade for their loyalty, discipline, and dedication, noting that their commitment remained unwavering throughout the year.

Brig.-Gen. Onasanya warned bandits and criminal elements operating within the FCT and surrounding areas that military pressure would be sustained and intensified in 2026. He stressed that the Guards Brigade remains fully prepared to support the President’s declaration of a state of emergency in the security sector and to ensure that no part of its AOR becomes a safe haven for criminals.

Addressing participants during the event, the commander expressed pride in the troops for successfully navigating a tough and demanding year, urging them not to rest on their laurels but to prepare for even greater challenges ahead.

As part of the ceremony, awards were presented to participants in various categories, including first barrack boy and girl to reach the summit, first invited soldiers (male and female), first NYSC corps members, first paramilitary personnel, NDA cadets, NMS students, invited officers, brigade soldiers and officers, media correspondents, defence attachés, commanding officers, and diplomatic representatives.

The annual ascent, according to the Guards Brigade leadership, remains a testament to endurance, teamwork, and the high level of morale within one of the Nigerian Army’s most strategic formations.