The Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA), has organized a capacity building training on Waterman ship to one hundred and eighty cadets in Kaduna state.
The NDA Commandant, Major General Ibrahim Yusuf while speaking to journalist at the Nigerian Air Force Base Dam in Kaduna said, the Cadets Brigade Inter-Battalion Waterman Ship Competition for regular course 70 army cadets was the first of its kind.
According to him, the 180 cadets who participated in the competition were drawn from different battalions of Mogadishu, Dalet, Abyssinia and Burma and as well had competitions in four events comprising boot race, boot relay, casualty evacuation and construction and silent crossing with improvised raft.
The Commandant explained that, they were lucky to have undergone the training in the NDA, noting that it made them the first regular course and only ones to pass through the academy and undergone the two-weeks waterman ship training.
He noted that prior to the training, the exercise they underwent was usually a one or two-days exercise in Jos, Plateau state during exercise camp highland.
“But here in the academy, we have the opportunity of undergoing this comprehensive training which is part of the revised curriculum of the NDA”, he noted.
Yusuf further stated that with the completion of the training, they will be stepping up to conducting tactical exercise as a group to include river crossing operations.
“Since they now know how to survive and move on water either with boats or rafts, and when none other exist, they would swim across water obstacles, they would now be taught how to fight across water body.”
He commended the cadets for their performance, noting that Mogadishu Battalion was outstanding in all the events they competed.
The Mogadishu battalion came first with 340 point, Dalet came second with 320 point while Burma came third with 280 point and Abyssinia was fourth with 180 point.
