Buhari at NDA

I therefore, urge you to take your roles in the on-going process of rebuilding our Armed Forces very seriously. The Federal Government is pleased with the Armed Forces resolve to end the insurgency facing the country today once and for all. We are determined to honour our obligation to support the speedy provision of platforms and equipment within available resources to achieve both this objective and long term needs of the Armed Forces. You should also be encouraged by the growing support our neighbours and the global community have recently pledged to our renewed counterinsurgency efforts.

We acknowledge the cooperation of our neighbours in the Lake Chad Basin Commission for their re-commitment to the Multi-National Joint Taskforce (MNJTF) whose activities helped push out the insurgents from Nigerian territory earlier in the year. My recent visits to the Republics of Niger, Chad, Cameroon, and Benin were intended to further strengthen this inevitable regional approach to counterinsurgency.

In addition to their recent U$5 million pledge, the United States Government has also committed to deepening its collaboration with our Armed Forces in intelligence and training. Similarly, other countries, namely Canada, France, United Kingdom, China and Germany have pledged to support our efforts to defeat the insurgents.

As you go into your formations and the field, I wish to remind you of Federal Government commitment to overhaul the rules of engagement and improve operational and legal mechanisms so that disciplinary steps are taken against proven human rights violations by the armed forces. We are committed to a thorough investigation of recent and any future occurrences of human rights violations by elements of our Armed Forces.

While I applaud the integrity and sterling record of the Armed Forces as an institution, this administration will insist on the rule of law, and deal with any proven cases of deviation from laws of armed conflict (LOAC), including human rights abuses. In operational conduct Nigerians expect our Armed Forces to keep law and order and not to behave like bullies.

The Commandant, distinguished Guests, graduands, let me reiterate the administration’s renewed commitment to due process, merit and total observance of the rule of law as central pillars of a prosperous and democratic society. Rule of law as an element of good governance applies to the Armed Forces as much as any institution in our country. It is therefore gratifying to note that recently all three Services have taken steps to not only emphasize on strict adherence to rules in area of recruitment, promotions, procurement, project executions, and more importantly, in civil-military relations.

May I now share my joy with families and friends of the passing out cadets? Without your prayers, love and emotional support, these cadets would not have been able to remain committed and focused throughout the duration of their training. However, I would like to quickly remind you that the more difficult part of the journey is about to begin. I therefore enjoin you to continue your prayers and support towards keeping them on the path of honour, probity and integrity so as to enhance their prospects of rising to the pinnacle of their careers of defending the nation.
Commandant, Your Excellencies,

I would like to commend the NDA Leadership for reminding everybody that NDA is a Professional Military Education (PME) institution. In this regard, serious efforts have been made to ensure that academic endeavors must necessarily relate and serve the professional needs of the military. I expect that ongoing efforts to review all academic courses of study towards enhancing the professional education capacity of the military will soon be completed. The message of these ongoing reviews, which I hereby reiterate, is that Nigeria is blessed with many civil universities.

NDA must therefore carve out a niche for itself as a military research university because of its uniqueness, instead of mirror-imaging and competing with civil universities. That is why I want to recognize and commend the current Commandant for continuing to support the new Centres of Excellence established by his predecessor.

These include the Centre of Leadership and Complex Operations, the Centre for Critical Thinking, Teaching and Learning, the Center for Languages, the Institute for Psychology and the Institute of Advanced Technology Applications. To drive these new programmes, a new Faculty of Military Science and Interdisciplinary Studies (FMSIS) and Faculty of Engineering and Technology (FET) were initiated.

We look forward to these Centres maturing to begin to study, research, build capacities and suggest solutions to the burning leadership issues and challenges of our time. I will be remiss if I fail to express appreciation for the Academy’s partnership with the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) since April 2015 to absorb and provide counselling and rehabilitation services to over 300 Internally Displaced widows and orphans under the “Countering Violent Extremism (CVE) Programme,” a “soft approach” to combating terrorism developed by the Federal Government.

Nigerian troops

Let me assure you that the Federal Government will continue to work towards facilitation of the completion of the NDA’s Permanent Site.

Finally, I congratulate the Commandant and staff of the Academy, once again, on the successful training of yet another set of future leaders for our Armed Forces and the Armed Forces of the Republic of Liberia, Benin Republic and Central African Republic. I urge you to remain steadfast in your uncommon task of producing world-class officers who will continue to bring home laurels for the Nigerian Defence Academy and for Nigerians.

Thank you.
Long Live the Federal Republic of Nigeria

Address By President Muhammadu Buhari On The Occasion Of The Passing Out Parade Of Officer Cadets Of The 62 Regular Course And Short Service Course 43 (Army) At The Nigerian Defence Academy, Kaduna On Saturday 12 September 2015