The Chief of Defence Transformation and Innovation (CDTI), AVM Hassan Alhaji, has called for reforms to the admission process of the Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA) to ensure that only highly qualified candidates are selected for military training.
Alhaji made the call during a transformation monitoring and evaluation visit to the academy in Kaduna. The visit was disclosed in a statement issued on Saturday by the NDA Public Relations Officer, Maj. Njoka Irabor.
He said the Chief of Defence Staff, Gen. Olufemi Oluyede, was keen on strengthening the academy’s selection process so that admission would be based strictly on merit and competence.
According to him, the goal is to ensure that candidates admitted into the NDA possess the required qualities to eventually become competent officers in the Armed Forces of Nigeria.
Alhaji described the academy as the foundation of the country’s military officer corps and praised the progress made in cadet training.
He assured the institution of continued support from Defence Headquarters, particularly in the areas of infrastructure, academic resources, curriculum development and the improvement of the cadet selection system.
The CDTI explained that the visit was also intended to engage the academy’s management on innovative ways to improve its operations and identify areas where Defence Headquarters could provide assistance.
He further stressed the importance of investing continuously in modern facilities, updating training programmes and embracing technology to sustain the NDA’s reputation as a leading military university in West Africa.
Responding, the Commandant of the NDA, Maj.-Gen. Oluyemi Olatoye, described the visit as timely and expressed appreciation to Alhaji and his team.
Olatoye also acknowledged the continued backing of the Chief of Defence Staff and Defence Headquarters for the academy’s activities.
He disclosed that the NDA had expanded its military training programmes to include Unmanned Aerial Vehicle operations, Amphibious Warfare, as well as Counter-Terrorism and Counter-Insurgency training.
The commandant added that combat estimates had been introduced into the cadets’ curriculum through collaboration with the Armed Forces Command and Staff College, Jaji.
He said the academy was focused on providing practical and realistic training that would prepare future military officers to handle the demands of modern warfare and other contemporary security operations.
Olatoye further noted that work was ongoing to improve the academy’s facilities, including the construction of additional classrooms and accommodation blocks for cadets.
During the visit, the Director of Military Training, Brig.-Gen. A.M. Tukur, briefed the delegation on the academy’s military training activities, while the Senior Deputy Registrar (Establishment and Training), Friday Benji Bakare, presented an overview of its academic programmes.