President Bola Tinubu has urged newly commissioned officers of the Armed Forces to uphold the Constitution, protect the lives of Nigerians and safeguard the nation’s economy.
Tinubu gave the charge on Saturday in Kaduna at the combined passing-out parade of the Nigerian Defence Academy. He was represented at the ceremony by the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Dr Tajudeen Abbas.
The parade featured cadets of 73 Regular Course drawn from the Army, Navy and Air Force, as well as Short Service Course 49 Army, Direct Short Service Course 34 Air Force and Branch Commission Course 3 Air Force.
Commending the NDA leadership, the President lauded the Commandant and his team for molding the cadets into battle ready, intellectually sound and morally grounded officers fit to lead troops in complex security environments.
He noted that since its establishment in 1964, the Academy has continued to evolve to meet emerging security threats, blending military training, academic learning and character development, with increased focus on counter-terrorism, counter insurgency and technology driven warfare.
Tinubu further highlighted the Academy’s growing global partnerships, disclosing that Nigerian cadets are presently undergoing military training in the United Kingdom, United States, Brazil and France, while invitations to participate in military competitions in the US, Brazil and China reflect international recognition of NDA’s training standards.
The President also said the NDA has sustained its status as a regional centre of excellence, training cadets from several African nations including Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Congo Brazzaville, The Gambia, Guinea, Liberia, Niger, Sierra Leone and Uganda.
He charged the graduating officers to remain loyal to constitutional authority, defend Nigeria’s territorial integrity and deploy their skills with professionalism and selflessness, assuring that his administration remains committed to improving the welfare and operational capacity of the Armed Forces.
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