By Odita Sunday
The Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA) has introduced new training programmes in Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) operations, amphibious warfare, counter-terrorism and counter-insurgency as part of efforts to prepare officer cadets for contemporary military operations.
The development came to the fore when the Chief of Defence Transformation and Innovation (CDTI), Air Vice Marshal Hassan Alhaji, visited the Academy in Kaduna on Thursday for a Transformation Monitoring and Evaluation exercise.
Alhaji commended the Commandant and management of the NDA for what he described as remarkable improvements in the training of officer cadets.
He said the Defence Headquarters would continue to support the Academy with improved infrastructure, learning resources, curriculum reviews and a more rigorous, merit-based admission process.
According to him, the visit was aimed at engaging the Academy’s management, identifying areas requiring intervention and generating innovative ideas to further improve the institution.
The CDTI described the NDA as the bedrock of the Armed Forces of Nigeria and stressed the need for sustained investment in modern facilities, technology and continuous curriculum review.
He said proactive measures were necessary to maintain the Academy’s position as West Africa’s premier military university.
Alhaji further disclosed that the Chief of Defence Staff, General Olufemi Oluyede, was particularly interested in strengthening the Academy’s admission process to ensure that only the most qualified candidates were admitted and eventually commissioned into the Armed Forces.
Responding, the Commandant of the NDA, Major General Oluyemi Thomas Olatoye, described the visit as timely and encouraging, while appreciating the CDS and the Defence Headquarters management for their continued support.
Olatoye said the Academy had embarked on several reforms aimed at making cadet training more realistic and practical.
He listed the reforms to include enhanced training in UAV operations, amphibious warfare, counter-terrorism and counter-insurgency, as well as the incorporation of combat estimate into the cadet curriculum in collaboration with the Armed Forces Command and Staff College, Jaji.
The Commandant said the reforms were designed to equip cadets with the skills required to confront the increasingly complex challenges of modern military operations.
He also disclosed that the Academy was expanding its infrastructure, including the construction of additional classrooms and accommodation facilities at the cadets’ lines.
During the visit, the Director of Military Training, Brigadier General AM Tukur, presented an overview of the Academy’s military training activities, while the Senior Deputy Registrar (Establishment and Training), Mr Friday Benji Bakare, Esq., briefed the delegation on the institution’s academic programmes.
The visit ended with the presentation of souvenirs and a group photograph.
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