Shettima urges NDA graduates to apply knowledge to enhance national security
By Mohammad Tijjani
Vice-President Kashim Shettima has commended the Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA) for producing highly trained military officers capable of responding to emerging security challenges.
Shettima, represented by the Kaduna State Deputy Governor, Hadiza Balarabe, gave the commendation at the 36th Convocation Ceremony of the NDA in Kaduna on Thursday.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the ceremony featured the graduation of cadets of the 73 Regular Course, postgraduate students and the conferment of honorary degrees on deserving personalities.
The vice-president said the Federal Government remained proud of the academy’s contribution to developing military officers with global professional standards for the Nigerian Armed Forces and friendly African countries.
He said the officers had continued to uphold Nigeria’s sovereignty despite the multifaceted security threats confronting the country.
According to him, the academy’s transition to a degree-awarding institution in 1985 remains a landmark decision that has strengthened the intellectual and professional capacity of military officers.
He said the expansion of academic faculties, research activities, postgraduate programmes and technology-based military training had enhanced the academy’s response to contemporary warfare.
Shettima said researchers at the academy had contributed to military innovations, including precision-guided munitions, remotely operated weapon systems and multipurpose guided mobile robots.
He said such innovations would complement the Federal Government’s whole-of-society approach to tackling security threats and improving the safety and effectiveness of military personnel.
The vice-president also highlighted the administration’s education reforms, including the National Education Loan Fund (NELFund), saying the initiative had disbursed more than N116 billion in tuition and stipends to hundreds of thousands of students across tertiary institutions.
He said the government was also reforming basic education to reduce subject overload and dropout rates while equipping learners with digital, entrepreneurial and livelihood skills.
Shettima urged the graduating cadets to apply the knowledge and skills acquired at the NDA with professionalism, loyalty, courage and respect for the laws of the land.
He also charged postgraduate students to deploy their expertise and research to generate innovative ideas and practical solutions to Nigeria’s development and security challenges.
Earlier, the NDA Commandant, Maj.-Gen. Oluyemi Olatoye, said the academy remained committed to producing well-rounded officers through the integration of military professionalism, academic excellence and sound character.
Olatoye said the academy had continued to align its academic and military training programmes with global best practices and the evolving demands of contemporary military operations.
He said the academy had strengthened training in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM), Artificial Intelligence, Cybersecurity, Data Analytics, Space Technology and other critical fields.
According to him, military training has also been enhanced through artificial intelligence-enabled learning tools, simulation technologies, cyber warfare concepts, intelligence analysis and counter-terrorism studies.
He said cadets also benefited from practical exposure to modern military platforms, including armoured fighting vehicles, artillery systems, aviation assets, naval platforms and advanced simulation facilities.
The commandant said the academy’s international exchange programmes had continued to enhance professional exposure, interoperability and defence cooperation with friendly countries.
Olatoye disclosed that 441 cadets were graduating with bachelor’s degrees, including one allied cadet from the Republic of Congo.
He said 150 graduates were from the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences, 53 from Engineering and Technology, 127 from Science, 55 from Military Science and Interdisciplinary Studies, and 56 from Management Sciences.
He further disclosed that 3,066 postgraduate students would graduate with various postgraduate diplomas and higher degrees.
The postgraduate graduates comprised 160 Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), 158 Master of Philosophy (MPhil), 449 academic master’s, 1,520 professional master’s and 779 postgraduate diploma students.
Olatoye commended the Federal Government, military authorities, academic and civilian staff, partner institutions and the Kaduna State Government for their support to the academy.
He urged the graduates to uphold the values of honour, courage, competence, loyalty and integrity as they proceed to serve Nigeria and humanity.
The commandant reaffirmed the academy’s commitment to innovation and excellence in leadership development and professional military education.
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