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Tag: NDA

  • Varsity professor returns N1.1m wrongly paid to him by NDA

    Varsity professor returns N1.1m wrongly paid to him by NDA

    The Commandant of the Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA), Maj.-Gen. John-Ochefu Ochai, on Wednesday visited Ahmadu Bello University (ABU) Zaria to commend Prof. Umar Ka’oje for voluntarily returning N1,153,953.36 wrongly paid to him.

    The money was paid to the don after expiration of his teaching contract with the nation’s apex military academy.

    The visit by the commandant to the university was in addition to a letter of commendation to the don by the NDA dated Sept. 11.

    The commandant was received by Dr Rahanatu Lawal Head, Department of Political Science and International Studies.

    Lawal said, ”Only a few people today could exhibit Prof. Ka’oje’s uncommon moral courage stressing such exemplary character should be emulated.”

    In his remarks, the commandant said that he had to follow up the letter of commendation earlier written to the professor with the physical visit to further show appreciation for such act.

    According to him, the act exhibited by Ka’oje was extremely rare in Africa’s clime.

    He, therefore, pledged the NDA’s readiness to further honour the professor at an appropriate time.

    The commandant also expressed gratitude to the department for its well established culture of training leaders to be honest and accountable.

    In his response,  Ka’oje commended the academy, saying,” the Commandant equally deserved commendation for recognising and rewarding honesty.”

  • NDA graduates 707 Cadets as Tinubu tasks military on vigilance

    NDA graduates 707 Cadets as Tinubu tasks military on vigilance

    President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has urged the military to be more vigilant and committed to safeguarding the country.

    The president said this on Saturday in Kaduna during the Passing Out Parade of 707 cadets of the Nigerian Defence Academy.

    The cadets commissioned into the armed forces were of the 70 Regular Course, and Direct Short Service Course 27 (Army) and  31 (Air Force).

    Tinubu, represented by Vice President Kashim Shettima, said his administration remained committed to addressing all security challenges and will support the military in that respect.

    He reminded the military and all Nigerians that without vigilance, efforts to fortify and stabilise the country would remains unattainable.

    Tinubu said that the new military officers “will find find themselves in a dynamic landscape which is marked by combat and regimental realities vastly different from those encountered by their predecessors.

    “The future of our great country doesn’t only rest upon your valour,  but also the curricula with which the warriors and scholars are formed.”

    The president assured that the government would implemente programmes and policies to empower the citizens to combat the challenges of poverty, criminality, and terrorism.

    Tinubu added that the administration was preparing for the food security crisis triggered by the Russian-Ukrainian war, and responding to banditry attacks on farmers, natural flood disasters, and the repercussions of military coups.

    “This administration has remained vigilant in devising
    solutions to mitigate their impacts and enhance national security.

    “At this critical juncture, we are embarking on a new era in our national defence and security strategy.

    “It will be driven by a resolute commitment to confront the substantial threats and challenges that confront us within the West African subregion,” Tinubu added.

    The president said he had directed all heads of defence and security institutions to unite in their efforts to protect the nation’s integrity and well being.

    He added that as Chairman of the ECOWAS, the body was working diligently to enhance conflict management and development mechanisms in the region.

    “Forging a path towards greater peace, stability, and progress across West Africa and beyond is not negotiable.

    “While I acknowledge that we have made bold decisions to bolster our economy, even as some developed economies face the threat of recession, our commitment remains resolute.”

    He also spoke on the government efforts to cushion the effects of fuel subsidy removal.

    “We are intensifying our efforts to implement tangible measures that will alleviate the hardships caused by the removal of fuel subsidies and the unification of exchange rates.

    “Our immediate actions, such as reducing taxes on strategic manufacturing industries, distributing grains from the national reserve to vulnerable demographics, providing fertilizer and farm inputs, and extending soft loans to small and medium-scale industries, all serve as a clear message to our nation.

    “We stand firmly with our citizens, determined to guide our country towards a path of accelerated economic growth and opportunities, where no one lives on handouts,” Tinubu pledged.

    He commended the NDA for its immense contribution to national security and charged it to also invest in scientific research and technological innovations and develop prototypes and concepts to enhance national security.

    NAN

  • Nigerian Defence Academy gets new Commandant

    Nigerian Defence Academy gets new Commandant

    Maj.-Gen. John Ochai has assumed duty as the 32nd Commandant of the Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA), Kaduna.

    A statement by the NDA Public Relations Officer, Maj. Victor Olukoya on Tuesday in Kaduna, said Ochai took over from Maj.-Gen. Ibrahim Yusuf who retired from active military service on June 26.

    In his remarks before the handing over, Yusuf thanked God for a successful career and fruitful tenure as Commandant NDA.

    He appreciated the entire NDA community for their support and urged them to extend the same cooperation to his successor.

    Yusuf described Ochai as a highly decorated military officer and the right man for the job.

    Responding, the new commandant described his appointment as a privilege to serve the country.

    He appreciated his predecessor for the transformation recorded during his tenure, saying it would be difficult to fill the shoes he left.

    Ochai expressed readiness to learn, noting that every appointment is an opportunity for learning and improvement.

    The Commandant congratulated Yusuf for his successful retirement and thanked him for his impressive service to the Nigerian Armed Forces and the nation.

    Maj.-Gen. Ochai is a member of 39 Regular Course and a highly decorated officer of the Nigerian Army Armoured Corps.

    His previous appointments include Director of Operations, Army Headquarters, and Commandant, Nigerian Army Armour School Bauchi, among others.

  • I’ll be happy to be buried in NDA – Retired Commandant

    I’ll be happy to be buried in NDA – Retired Commandant

    Maj.-Gen. Ibrahim Yusuf, erstwhile Commandant of the Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA) was on Monday pulled out of active military service in a colourful ceremony in Kaduna.

    Yusuf whose military career began in 1980 as a student of Nigerian Military School, Zaria, is a member of NDA 37 Regular Course.

    Yusuf handed over to Maj.-Gen. John Ochai, the new Commandant of the academy.

    In his remarks, Yusuf said he had a very eventful military career during which he took active part in the execution of the constitutional mandate assigned to the Nigerian Army.

    “In this regard, on several occasions I have participated in internal security operations in several parts of the country in aid of civil authority.

    “In the mandate of safeguarding the territorial integrity of Nigeria, I had the unique opportunity of commanding 21 Armoured Brigade during Operation Zaman Lafiya  and subsequently, GOC 7 Division during Operation Lafiya Dole

    “In the latter capacity, my Division conducted Operation Deep Punch which remains the largest, single most successful, most decisive and most enduring counter insurgency operations in the Northeast Theatre.

    “Over 3,000 troops that took part in that operation were promoted to the next higher rank,” he said.

    “I have been awarded two Chief of Army Staff Award – Nigerian Army Outstanding Operational Command Medal, making me the first Nigerian Army officer to earn such an award.”

    He said those were among several other military awards and decorations for him.

    “I feel privileged to have received recognition of my service to country and humanity.

    “My own dear country Nigeria awarded me Officer of the Order of the Federal Republic, and Chad Republic also conferred on me a national honour – Knight of the Order of Chad – in recognition of my outstanding performance as Force Commander, Multinational Joint Task Force.“

    Yusuf paid tribute to all the officers and soldiers that paid the supreme sacrifice in order to safeguard Nigeria’s territorial integrity and restore law and order.

    He said that it has always been his dream to serve as Commandant of NDA.

    “My destiny is inextricably linked to the Academy and even when the inevitable hour comes, I would be happy for its grounds to be my final resting place.

    “My professional ambition had always been to serve as Commandant and to retire from the military from this privileged appointment.

    “I feel I have attained my highest goal in military service and expended all my objectives and strategies for the betterment of the Academy and consequently, the Armed Forces of Nigeria.

    “In this regard, to the glory of almighty God, members of 69 Regular Course that passed out from the Academy last year are the best trained cadets to graduate from NDA since its establishment in 1964.

    “Members of 70 Regular Course that will pass out of NDA in the next three months are even better trained than their predecessors.

    “We have repositioned the academy to produce junior leaders with capacity to deal with the current and future challenges.”

    He assured that, henceforth, officers to graduate from the academy would have the intellectual acumen, professional skills and warrior mindset to deal with current and emerging security challenges in the country.

    He appreciated his predecessors who laid the foundation and made positive impacts in the academy which paved the way for its growth and development.

    Yusuf described the new Commandant as an “outstanding General, highly decorated and a first-class trainer and leader”.

    He told the cadets that the keys to successful military career are character, leadership and competence.

    “These are the only currency you will ever need for success.

    “Always strive to develop and improve on your current standard and avoid patronage or bootlicking.

    “Depend on your own accomplished merits and do not aim to please or become indebted to an individual or a group of individuals in any official capacity or dealings.

    “Your focus and your unblemished loyalty are for service and country.

    “Thirdly, desist from any venture that is illegal, unlawful or unethical. This will always be at the detriment of your career and could lead to irreversible consequences.”

    He also charged them not to seek shortcuts or favours from superiors or any higher authority or from any segment of the society.

    “Don’t avoid postings to theatres of operation for fear of death. Death will come when it will come irrespective of your location or purpose.

    “Embrace this reality and you will be surprised at how many times you will cheat death.

    “I am  leaving the service highly fulfilled, highly accomplished, highly satisfied,“ Yusuf said.

  • NDA disowns fake selection list

    NDA disowns fake selection list

    The Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA), on Monday said the list purporting to be the official selection list for the 75 Regular Course of the Academy is fake.

    The Academy’s Public Relations officer, Maj. Victor Olukoya said in a statement in Kaduna that “The attention of the NDA has been drawn to a fake list that has gone viral on some social media and other microblogging platforms, purporting to be the official selection list for 75 Regular Course of the Nigerian Defence Academy.

    “We wish to clarify that the list is not only fake but also the work of fraudsters, whose aim may be to fleece unsuspecting law-abiding members of the public of their resources.”

    He warned members of the public to steer clear of this fake publication and the publishers of this fake list.

    According to him, their primary motive is to mislead and defraud members of the public, therefore anyone dealing with them does so at his or her own risk.

    He noted that the process of selecting members of 75 Regular Course of the academy is rigorous and thorough, and is still ongoing.

    “When completed, the authentic list will be officially published by the academy in some national newspapers and on the NDA official website: www.nda.edu.ng,” he said.

  • NDA application for 75th regular course is on – Registrar

    NDA application for 75th regular course is on – Registrar

    The Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA), says application into the academy for 75th Regular Course (RC) is still on.
    The Academic Registrar of the Academy, Brig.-Gen. Ahmed Tukur, made the announcement in a statement issued on Wednesday in Kaduna.

    “This is to inform the general public that application into the 75th regular course of the Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA) is still on.

    Tukur said admission into the NDA is open to both male and female Nigerians.

    “All interested candidates are to log on to the NDA application portal: www.ndaapplications.net to purchase access code for the sum of N3,500 only.

    He noted that applicants for admission into the NDA must also apply to the Joint Admission and Matriculation Board (JAMB).

    “Candidates do not need to select NDA as their first choice institution.
    “Such applicants are expected to sit for the JAMB Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) and obtain a minimum score of 180 for Arts & Social Sciences, Sciences and management courses,” the Registrar said, adding that those applying for engineering courses must score a minimum of 210 to qualify.

    He added that applications will close on March 15, 2023, while the NDA screening test will be conducted at various centres across the nation on Saturday, April 15, 2023.

    He said candidates are expected to print the screening test Admission Card from the portal and participate in the NDA screening test at the centre of their choice.

    “All other information concerning degree course eligibility and screening test centres can also be obtained on the NDA website or application portal.

    “For further enquiries, visit NDA Official website on www.nda.edu.ng or NDA portal www.ndaaplications.net,” he said, saying “You can also email us on info@ndaapplications.net, “Tukur said.

  • India elects Droupadi Murmu as first minority female president,

    India elects Droupadi Murmu as first minority female president,

    The presidential candidate of NDA Droupadi Murmu becomes India’s first minority female president defeating her closest rival  Yashwant Sinha.

    Murmu polled  6,76,803 votes against Sinha’s 3,80,177 votes to become the 15th President of the Asian country.

    Murmu, 64, is the first Adivasi and second woman to become the nation’s First Citizen and the Supreme Commander of India’s Armed Forces.

    Murmu was elected to two terms in the Odisha Assembly in 2000 and 2004 and served as a Minister from 2000 to 2004 in Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik’s BJD-BJP coalition government. She was sworn in as the first woman Governor of Jharkhand in 2015.

    Meanwhile, opponent Sinha congratulated Murmu for emerging victorious in the election.

    She took to Twitter as soon as it was clear that she was going to win the election.

    Her Tweet reads: “I join my fellow citizens in congratulating Smt Droupadi Murmu on her victory in the Presidential Election 2022. India hopes that as the 15th President of the Republic she functions as the Custodian of the Constitution without fear or favor,” he wrote.

    Murmu will be the country’s second woman president after Pratibha Patil, who held the position for five years from 2007 and succeeds Ram Nath Kovind, the second president from the Dalit community, the bottom of the Hindu caste system.

     

  • Identities of two pilots killed in crashed NAF jet revealed

    Identities of two pilots killed in crashed NAF jet revealed

    The identities of the two pilots in the crashed jet of the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) of Tuesday have been revealed.

    They are Flight Lieutenants Alkali and Karatu, recent graduates of the Nigeria Defence Academy (NDA).

    The duo was part of the Nigerian Airforce officers who returned from Pakistan last year April following a six month training at the South East Asian country.

    A source close to the two officers said that as at last year April when he last saw them, they were not married.

    Helicopter crash has spiked in recent times in Nigeria.

    Recall that 11 months ago, Ibrahim Attahiru, Chief of Army Staff, and 10 other senior military officers died in a NAF’s Beechcraft 350, which crashed around the Kaduna International Airport.

    In fact, between August 29, 2015 and 2021, Nigeria suffered 11 military plane crashes with no fewer than 33 military officers perishing.

    These include the Air Force plane crash, which killed seven onboard (August 29, 2015) in Kaduna; the F-7NI jet on October 10, 2015, and the Augusta Westland which crashed in Makurdi on November 15.

    In 2021 alone, the Air Force lost at least three jets. They were the Beechcraft King Air 350i which went down with all seven officers on board in Abuja on March 21, 2021; the Alpha Jet which crashed while supporting troops in the North-East on April 3, 2021, and now the biggest of them all – the crash of a military jet conveying Nigeria’s 25th Chief of Army Staff, Lt-Gen. Ibrahim Attahiru and 10 other officers on board at the Kaduna Airport.

  • Group speaks on Tinubu’s alleged plan to defect to SDP

    Group speaks on Tinubu’s alleged plan to defect to SDP

    The Nigeria Diaspora for Asiwaju (NDA), has refuted social media reports alleging that Sen. Bola Tinubu, leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC) is set to defect to the Social Democratic Party (SDP).

    Dr Akin Badeji, Director-General, NDA, in a statement on Tuesday in Abuja, said the two-term former governor of Lagos State has no such plan.

    He said that Tinubu remained the national leader of the APC and was focused on his consultation across the country to seek support from Nigerians and critical stakeholders of the party, ahead of 2023 poll.

    “The attention of NDA has been drawn to an unsubstantiated report making the rounds on social media that Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, leader of the APC is set to join the Social Democratic Party (SDP).

    “The news report is fake, baseless and should be regarded as such. It is nothing but an imagination of those who planted it,”the NDA Director-General said.

    He, therefore, appealed to Nigerians and APC members especially to ignore the fake news on steroids.

    He called on Nigerians to continue to support the APC and the presidential ambition of Tinubu, saying he was the right man to succeed President Muhammadu Buhari in 2023 after the completion of his tenure.

  • Just In: Air Force officer who helped bandits in NDA attack arrested

    Just In: Air Force officer who helped bandits in NDA attack arrested

    The Nigerian military and intelligence services have uncovered one of the collaborators of the bandits’ attack on the Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA).

    The personnel is a member of the Nigerian Air Force (NAF). He is Sergeant Torsobo Solomon, currently attached to the Air Force Comprehensive School, Yola.

    The military announced he was arrested on Monday in Yola, capital of Adamawa State.

    An INTREP reads: “On 08 Nov 21, at about 0600hrs, NAF07/ 23922, SGT Torsobo Solomon of 153 BSG (AIR FORCE COMPREHENSIVE SCHOOL YOLA) was arrested on the order of the Base Commander as requested by the NDA Commander for an offence connecting with arms and ammunition with recent bandit attack at NDA Kaduna.

    “At about 0815hrs, ATR with reg no NAF 930 to arrive flight line to convey him from Yola to NDA Kaduna for further interrogation.”

    The NDA released Solomon’s photo and announced he is to be flown to the Army Training Regiment (ATR) in Kaduna.

    The hit on the well-fortified military asset is considered one of the most audacious attacks against Nigeria’s Armed Forces in history.

    The deadly assault on August 24, 2021, left two officers – Lieutenant Commander Wulah and Flight Lieutenant CM Okoronkwo – dead.

    Second Lieutenant Onah sustained gunshot wounds. Major Christopher Datong was kidnapped and later released.

    The non-state armed actors attacked the NDA campus in Afaka, Kaduna, around 1:30am.