The Chief of Defence Transformation and Innovation, AVM Hassan Alhaji, has demanded for a stricter and merit-based admission process into the Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA) to ensure that only the most qualified candidates are admitted into the Armed Forces of Nigeria.
Key Highlights
- AVM Hassan Alhaji, Chief of Defence Transformation and Innovation, called for a stricter, merit-based admission process into the Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA).
- He said only the most qualified and suitable candidates should be admitted and eventually commissioned as military officers.
- The call was made during a transformation monitoring and evaluation visit to the NDA in Kaduna.
- Alhaji said Chief of Defence Staff Gen. Olufemi Oluyede is committed to strengthening the academy’s admission standards.
- The NDA was described as the bedrock of the Nigerian military and a key institution for producing future officers.
Alhaji made the call during a transformation monitoring and evaluation visit to the NDA in Kaduna, according to a statement issued on Saturday by the academy’s Public Relations Officer, Maj. Njoka Irabor.
He said the Chief of Defence Staff, Gen. Olufemi Oluyede, is interested in strengthening the academy’s admission process to ensure that candidates admitted and eventually commissioned as military officers meet the highest standards of competence and suitability.
Alhaji described the academy as the bedrock of the Nigerian military and commended the institution for improvements recorded in the training of officer cadets.
He reaffirmed the commitment of the Defence Headquarters to supporting the academy through improved infrastructure, enhanced learning resources, curriculum reviews and a more rigorous cadet selection process.
According to him, the visit was designed to engage the academy’s management on innovative ways to improve its operations, while identifying areas where Defence Headquarters could provide additional support.
He stressed the need for sustained investment in modern facilities, continuous curriculum review and technological innovation to preserve the academy’s position as a premier military university in West Africa.
Responding, the Commandant of the NDA, Maj.-Gen. Oluyemi Olatoye, described the visit as timely and encouraging, while appreciating Defence Headquarters for its continued support.
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Olatoye said the academy had introduced new training programmes, including Unmanned Aerial Vehicle operations, amphibious warfare, and counter-terrorism and counter-insurgency courses.
He added that combat estimates had also been incorporated into the cadets’ curriculum in partnership with the Armed Forces Command and Staff College, Jaji.
The commandant said the academy is committed to making cadet training more realistic and practical to equip future military officers with the skills required to manage contemporary security operations effectively.
He further disclosed that the academy was improving its infrastructure through the construction of additional classrooms and accommodation facilities within the cadets’ lines.
Earlier, the Director of Military Training, Brig.-Gen. A.M. Tukur, presented an overview of the academy’s military training activities, while the Senior Deputy Registrar (Establishment and Training), Friday Benji Bakare, briefed the visiting team on the institution’s academic programmes.
