Nigerian Defence Academy
| N.D.A | |
| Motto | Loyalty and valour |
|---|---|
| Type | Military academy |
| Established | 1964 |
| Commandant | Maj-Gen. M.T. Ibrahim |
| Students | 4,200 |
| Undergraduates | Yes |
| Postgraduates | Msc |
| Ph.D | |
| Location | Kaduna, Nigeria |
| Website |
www |
The Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA) at Kaduna is the only Military University in Nigeria. Duration of training in the academy is 5 years, which include 4 years of academic studies and 1 year of military training. The NDA is viewed as one of the best military academy in west Africa and the African continent.
History
The NDA was established in January 1964 as a reformation of the British run Royal Military Forces Training College (RMFTC), which had been renamed the Nigerian Military Training College (NMTC) on independence. The military institution trains the officer corps of the Nigerian Army, Navy and Air Force. The initial class was only 62 cadets, and trainers were mostly officers in the Indian Army. The NDA grew to an all Nigerian training staff only in 1978.[1] In 1981 itself began training bilateral training of foreign militaries. In 1985 the academy commenced offering undergraduate programmes to Military Officers In Training and now also currently offers post graduate studies both for Msc and Ph.D for both military and civilian students alike. The central mission remains the five year cadet officer training "Regular Combatant Course", although from 2002, a four-year military programme is also offered. As of 2008, its total cadet class is around 1500.[1]
The current Commandant is Major General M.T. Ibrahim.
Commandants
Below is the chronological list of NDA Commandants:
- Brigadier M.R. Varma 1964–1969 (Indian national and 1st Commandant of the NDA)
- Major General David Ejoor 1969–1971 (1st Nigerian Commandant)
- Major General Adeyinka Adebayo 1971
- Major General E.O. Ekpo March 1971 – February 1975
- Brigadier Illiya Bisalla February 1975 – August 1975
- Brigadier Gibson Jalo August 1975 – January 1978
- Brigadier E.S. Armah January 1978 – July 1978
- Brigadier Joseph Garba July 1978 – July 1979
- Brigadier Zamani Lekwot July 1979 – 1982
- Brigadier Abdullahi Shelleng 1982–
- Major General Paul Tarfa 1984–1985
- Lieutenant General Salihu Ibrahim 1988–1990
- Lieutenant General Garba Duba 1990–1992
- Lieutenant General Aliyu Mohammed Gusau 1992–1993
- Lieutenant General Mohammed Balarabe Haladu
- Air Vice Marshal A.M. Daggash
- Major General Bashir Salihi Magashi 1998–1999
- Major General Harris Dzarma (2006–2008)
- Major General Mamuda Yerima (2008–2010)
- Major General Emeka Onwuamaegbu 2010–2013[2]
- Major General Muhammad Inuwa Idris December 2013 – August 2015
- Major General M.T. Ibrahim August 2015–
Alumni
Some notable alumni:
- Abdulrahman Bello Dambazau, former Chief of Army Staff
- Alexander Ogomudia, former Chief of Defence Staff & Chief of Army Staff
- Muhammadu Buhari, President of Nigeria and former Military Head of State
- Azubuike Ihejirika, former Chief of Army Staff
- Dangiwa Umar, former Governor of Kaduna State
- Gideon Orkar, April 1990 coup leader
- Ibok-Ete Ekwe Ibas, Chief of Naval Staff, Nigerian Navy
- Kayode Are, former National Security Adviser and Director General State Security Service
- Maxwell Khobe, former ECOMOG Peacekeeping Force Commander and Chief of Defence Staff, Sierra Leone
- Muhammad Inuwa Idris, Commandant, NDA
- Oladipo Diya, former Chief of Defence Staff
- Owoye Andrew Azazi, former Chief of Defence Staff & Chief of Army Staff
- Sultan Sa'adu Abubakar, Sultan of Sokoto
- Sambo Dasuki, National Security Adviser
- Tunji Olurin, former military governor of Oyo State
- Victor Malu, former Chief of Army Staff
- John Michael Ogidi, former ECOMOG Officer and Commander Corps of Signals Lagos Headquarters
References
- 1 2 Welcome page, NIGERIAN DEFENCE ACADEMY, www.nigeriandefenceacademy.edu.ng (2008), accessed 2009-04-20
- ↑ "Shake up in the military". The Nation. Retrieved 19 July 2015.