Former officers of the Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA) have used their 40th anniversary reunion to reflect on their years of national service and offer insights on strengthening Nigeria’s security architecture.
The event, which marked the 40th anniversary of the 27 Short Service Combatant Course, was held at the Army Headquarters Command Officers’ Mess in Asokoro, Abuja.
It brought together retired coursemates who reunited to reconnect and assess their continued relevance to national development, particularly in the area of security.
Speaking with journalists, the President of the Alumni Association, retired Major General Okechukwu Ugo, said the reunion was not only aimed at fostering camaraderie but also at “reviewing their contributions to society and exploring avenues to give back meaningfully.”
Retired Major General Ugo said; “We are gathered as coursemates who left NDA 40 years ago, to review where we stand and see what we can give back to the society that made us what we are today.”
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Drawing from decades of military experience, he noted that “Nigeria’s current security environment reflects broader global trends, particularly the rise of asymmetric threats and economic pressures driving criminality.
“Globally, insecurity is increasing, the cost of living and economic pressures are pushing more people toward illegal means, including kidnapping.”
Retired Major General Ugo said that the operational demands on the military have expanded significantly compared to earlier periods, with troops now engaged across multiple internal security roles nationwide.
He said; “The military today is overstretched, in our time, internal security issues were minimal, but now the Army is deployed across the country performing roles previously handled by the police.”
He called for continued investment in military capacity, including manpower expansion and modern platforms, to align force structure with current operational realities.
The event featured a lecture and is expected to conclude with a gala night, with the Minister of Defence, General Christopher Musa (rtd), billed as Special Guest of Honour.