NDA matriculates 453 cardets, warns against indiscipline, examination malpractices, others

Major General Ibrahim Manu Yusuf, Commandant Nigerian Defense Academy (NDA), has warned the 453 new intakes of the academy to always be disciplined as the academy has zero-tolerance for all forms of indiscipline, examination malpractices and brutality.

Recall that in 2020, the management of NDA dismissed 15 cadets for examination malpractice. The disciplinary action was announced in a signal by the NDA which reads; “Today being May 15, 2020, at 13:04 hours, NDA Commandant, Maj. Gen. Jamil Sarham, tried 14 cadets on various offences; 13 were dismissed from the academy while one was relegated from the fourth termer (400 level) to three.

He gave the warning during the matriculation ceremony for 73 regular course cadets held at the academy’s auditorium in Kaduna, just as he also warned them to be serious about their studies, and be ready to take full responsibility for their actions and inactions.

According to him, “today, we shall be witnessing the matriculation ceremony to formally enrol 453 officer cadets of 73 Regular Course into their respective degree programmes.”

He further said that the cadets undertook an oath of allegiance to the Armed Forces of Nigeria, thereby, making them subjected to the Doctrine of Compact which makes them bound by all military laws in addition to civil laws.

Manu who said he was elated that, the cadets of 73RC have commenced their military training based on a revised curriculum which is designed to equip them with the knowledge and skills to deal with the emerging threats confronting the country, further noted that within the past eight weeks, the cadets have undergone rigorous military training designed to condition them to be mentally sound and physically fit to participate in a tough regime of military training and academic education.

“This is in addition to meeting the basic physical fitness requirements of completing 30 push-ups in one minute, 40 sit-ups in the same period and running up to 6.4km in 35 minutes.” He said.

The exercises according to him, were also designed to instil military skills and group cohesion in the cardet.

He urged parents and guardians of the cadets to encourage them to desist from any attempts to interfere with their administration while in the academy.

According to General Manu, the training marks the formal induction of the 73 Regular Course cadets into the Academic Branch and brings to an end their admission and registration processes, just as he congratulated the cadets of 73 Regular Course for their well-deserved admission into the prestigious institution.

He said the cadets shall undergo five years of training with the academic programme culminating at the end of the fourth year.

He expressed appreciation to the National Universities Commission (NUC) for giving them the opportunity and guidance to kickstart new courses across their faculties.

Professor S.U. Abdullahi, while giving his remarks as a special Guest of Honour explained that, it was significant that NDA has embraced best practices in higher education by introducing the matriculation of cadets in the past few years as conducted in other conventional universities.

He urged the matriculating cadets to take their academics serious as much as military training, since both compliment each other, just as he charged them not to give up easily, no matter the difficulty.

“Remember the saying that ‘the end justifies the means’ as you will always look back with happiness at the end of your cadet training and you will see all that you went through as fun,” Professor S.U. Abdullahi said.